Africa CDC says a new Ebola outbreak in Congo’s Ituri province has recorded 65 deaths and 246 suspected cases so far, with cross-border surveillance being reinforced.
A fresh Ebola outbreak in Congo’s remote Ituri province is already claiming lives, and Africa’s public health agency warns it could be affecting far more people than confirmed cases suggest.
On Friday, Africa CDC confirmed the outbreak and said 246 suspected cases and 65 deaths have been recorded so far. The toll and suspected infections have been reported mainly in the Mongwalu and Rwampara health zones, according to the agency’s statement.
Africa CDC said four deaths have been reported among laboratory-confirmed cases. It also reported suspected cases in Bunia that are pending confirmation.
The outbreak comes as countries across the region prepare for Ebola’s harsh realities. The virus spreads through bodily fluids, including vomit, blood, or semen. The disease is rare but typically severe and often fatal.
Africa CDC said it is calling an urgent meeting with Congo. Uganda. South Sudan and others to strengthen cross-border surveillance. preparedness. and response efforts.. That emphasis reflects both the movement of people in border areas and the practical challenge of detecting cases quickly before they spread.
The new outbreak is occurring about five months after Congo’s previous Ebola outbreak was declared ended, after 43 deaths. With this latest finding, it becomes the country’s 17th Ebola outbreak since the virus first emerged in the Congo in 1976.
The scale of earlier waves has remained a warning for what may come next.. An Ebola outbreak from 2018 to 2020 in eastern Congo killed more than 1,000 people.. That experience is likely to shape how authorities respond this time. particularly in Ituri. a remote part of the country with poor road networks.. The region is more than 620 miles from Kinshasa, Congo’s capital.
For Congo, responding to Ebola also means working through a security landscape that has hampered access for health teams.. The east of the country has been dealing with multiple armed groups. including the M23 rebel group. which launched a rapid assault in January last year and has since occupied key cities.. Ituri itself has also faced violence from the ISIS-linked Allied Democratic Force. which has killed dozens there and in other parts of eastern Congo.
Logistical hurdles have been a central feature of Congo’s past outbreaks. During the last Ebola response that lasted about three months, the World Health Organization initially encountered significant challenges delivering vaccines due to limited access and scarce funds.
Ebola outbreak Congo Africa CDC Ituri province public health emergency cross-border surveillance M23 rebel group
here we go again
wait so is this spreading to the US now or what because nobody is saying that but you know how they never tell us the full story until its too late and then everyone acts surprised like we didnt see this coming
this is exactly why we need closed borders period no exceptions. my cousin works at the airport and he said they arent even checking people coming in from africa right now like at all. the government dont care about regular americans they never did and this ebola thing is gonna be way worse than covid because at least covid didnt make you bleed from everywhere. pray for these people but also pray for us cause nobody is doing nothing to stop it from getting here and the media wont cover it until its already spreading through every major city
i thought they cured ebola like a few years ago there was a whole thing about it. so why is it still happening over there if they have the cure already. not trying to be rude just genuinely confused because i remember seeing something about a vaccine or treatment and then everyone just stopped talking about it