Congo Ebola Outbreak: 87 Deaths Reported, Spreads to Uganda

At least 87 deaths have been reported in Congo's new Ebola disease outbreak in eastern Ituri province, according to the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC).

It warned of an "active community transmission" as health workers raced to intensify screening and contact tracing to contain the disease.

"Every day, people are dying … and this has been going on for about a week. In a single day, we bury two, three or even more people," said Jean Marc Asimwe, a resident of Bunia.

Ebola is highly contagious and can be contracted through bodily fluids such as vomit, blood or semen.

The disease it causes is rare, but severe and often fatal.

Officials first announced the latest outbreak in Congo late on Friday (local time) with 65 deaths and 246 suspected cases. By Saturday (local time), the Africa CDC reported 336 suspected and 13 confirmed cases.

Four people have since died among the confirmed cases.

At an online briefing, Africa CDC director-general Jean Kaseya said the first cases were reported in Mongwalu health zone, a high-traffic mining area.

"Cases subsequently migrated to Rwampara and Bunia as patients sought medical care, enabling spread across three health zones," he said.

A high number of active cases remain within the local community, particularly in Mongwalu, Kaseya said, "significantly complicating containment and contact tracing efforts".

Insecurity in Ituri, where Islamic State-backed militants carry out rampant deadly attacks, continues to restrict surveillance and rapid response operations, he added.

Of the 87 deaths, 57 are in the Mongwalu health zone, 27 in the Rwampara health zone and three in Bunia, Ituri's main city.

Democratic Republic of the Congo Health Minister Samuel-Roger Kamba said test results confirmed the Bundibugyo virus, a variant of the disease that has been less prominent in previous outbreaks.

"The Bundibugyo strain has no vaccine, no specific treatment," Mr Kamba said.

This is Congo's 17th outbreak since Ebola first emerged in the country in 1976.

The suspected index case in the latest outbreak is a nurse who died at a hospital in Bunia, Kamba said.

He said the case dates back three weeks to April 24.

He did not say whether samples from the nurse were tested, but said the person presented symptoms suggestive of Ebola.

Outbreak spreads to Uganda

Uganda confirmed on Friday an Ebola case authorities said was "imported" from Congo.

The person died at the Kibuli Muslim Hospital in Uganda's capital, Kampala, on May 14.

The Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention had said it was concerned about the risk of further spread due to the proximity of affected areas to Uganda and South Sudan.

The body of the patient who died in Kampala was later taken back to Congo and no other local case has been confirmed, Uganda's Health Ministry said.

People are being screened at the entrance of the Kibuli Muslim Hospital.

Ismail Kigongo, who resides in Kampala, said the new outbreak reminded him of his father, whom he lost during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Kenya, Uganda's neighbour, said that there was only a "moderate risk of importation" of the Ebola virus due to regional travel.

Kenya's government said it has formed an Ebola preparedness team and has strengthened surveillance at all points of entry.

The World Health Organization declared the outbreak a public health emergency of international concern, but also said it did not meet the criteria of a pandemic emergency.

Congo faces logistical challenges

Congo has experience managing Ebola outbreaks but often faces logistical challenges in delivering expertise and supplies to affected regions.

As Africa's second-largest country by land area, Congo's provinces are far from one another and mostly battling conflict.

Ituri, for instance, is about 1,000 kilometres from the nation's capital, Kinshasa, and is ravaged by violence from Islamic State-backed militants.

Only 13 blood samples have been tested at the National Institute of Biomedical Research. Eight were positive for the Bundibugyo strain. The remaining five could not be analysed due to insufficient sample volume, the health minister said.

In Bunia, Ituri's main city, businesses and regular activities in public places appeared normal on Friday.

Resident Adeline Awekonimungu said she hoped the outbreak was quickly contained.

"My recommendation is that the government take this matter seriously and that it takes charge of the hospitals so that this matter can be brought under control," she said.