The World Health Organization has raised alarm over a fresh Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, declaring it a Public Health Emergency of International Concern as fatalities climb past 80.
Health authorities report at least 88 deaths and more than 300 suspected infections linked to the Bundibugyo strain of the virus, a variant for which no approved vaccine or targeted treatment currently exists. The alert, issued from Geneva on Sunday, reflects fears that the true scale of infections may be far greater than what has been confirmed so far.
Data released by the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention shows the outbreak spreading quickly across health zones in northeastern Congo, particularly in Ituri province near the borders with Uganda and South Sudan.
Congo’s Health Minister, Samuel-Roger Kamba, warned that the Bundibugyo strain carries a high fatality rate that can approach 50 percent. Unlike the more common Zaire strain for which vaccines are available. This variant leaves health workers with limited medical tools beyond supportive care.
The situation has already crossed borders. Ugandan officials confirmed that a Congolese national infected with the virus died after entering the country, heightening concerns of regional transmission.
Medical charity Médecins Sans Frontières (Doctors Without Borders) described the pace of the outbreak as “extremely concerning” and has begun mobilising teams and equipment for an expanded emergency response.
Local reports from affected communities paint a troubling picture. Residents say patients are dying at home due to a lack of isolation centres, with family members handling bodies without protective gear – a known driver of Ebola transmission.
According to health officials, the outbreak’s first known patient was a nurse who sought treatment in Bunia on April 24 after developing symptoms consistent with Ebola. Typical signs of the disease include fever, vomiting and internal bleeding. Infected persons become contagious once symptoms appear, and the virus can incubate for up to three weeks.
This marks the 17th Ebola outbreak in Congo, a country that has battled repeated waves of the disease over the past five decades. Between 2018 and 2020, the nation recorded its deadliest episode, which claimed nearly 2,300 lives.
The WHO cautioned that early test results show a high positivity rate, suggesting that many more cases may be going undetected. With weak transport networks and limited health infrastructure across vast rural areas, moving medical supplies and response teams remains a major logistical hurdle.
Ebola is believed to originate from bats and spreads through direct contact with bodily fluids of infected individuals. Mortality rates in past outbreaks have ranged widely, from 25 to 90 percent, depending on the strain and speed of response.
