An Ebola outbreak has killed 65 people in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, with 246 suspected cases reported in Ituri province, according to health officials. The affected areas include the Mongwalu and Rwampara health zones, where the Bundibugyo strain of the virus has been confirmed in 13 of 20 samples tested. This strain, unlike the more common Zaire strain, has no licensed vaccine, complicating containment efforts. Uganda has confirmed its own case after a 59-year-old man who had travelled from the DRC died in a Kampala hospital. The Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) expressed concern over the risk of wider spread due to high population movement across borders. Ituri province, a mining region bordering Uganda and South Sudan, sees constant cross-border movement, increasing transmission risks. Ebola spreads through direct contact with bodily fluids of infected individuals or corpses, particularly during burial practices. The DRC has experienced 16 Ebola outbreaks since 1976, most involving the Zaire strain. Previous Bundibugyo outbreaks occurred in 2007 and 2012. Africa CDC is convening an urgent meeting with authorities from the DRC, Uganda, South Sudan, the World Health Organization, and pharmaceutical companies on Friday. Dr Jean Kaseya, director general of Africa CDC, stated, "Africa CDC stands in solidarity with the government and people of the Democratic Republic of the Congo as they respond to this outbreak." He added, "Given the high population movement between affected areas and neighbouring countries, rapid regional coordination is essential." Dr Michael Head of the University of Southampton noted that factors such as human contact with animal reservoirs like bats, movement between rural and urban areas, and dense rainforest coverage contribute to recurring outbreaks. Suspected cases have also emerged in Bunia, a neighbouring health zone.
The outbreak involves the Bundibugyo strain, which has no approved vaccine, undermining reliance on existing immunisation strategies. Africa CDC's call for regional coordination gains urgency given confirmed cross-border transmission to Uganda. The death of a patient in Kampala after travel from Ituri shows surveillance gaps persist despite repeated outbreaks. Past patterns of spread in mining zones with high mobility suggest current measures may again lag behind transmission dynamics.
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