New Ebola outbreak carries high risk of spread and mortality

Kinshasa (ANTARA) - Minister of Health of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Roger Kamba, warned on Saturday (16/5) that a new Ebola outbreak announced in Ituri Province, eastern DRC, involves the Bundibugyo strain, which has a high mortality rate and carries a significant risk of further spread.

“The Bundibugyo strain does not have specific vaccines or treatments,” Kamba said at a press conference in the capital Kinshasa, adding that the strain has a very high fatality rate that can reach 50 percent.

The DRC announced a new Ebola outbreak in Ituri on Friday (15/5), making it the 17th recorded outbreak in the country since 1976. According to the Ministry of Health, as of May 15, there were 246 suspected cases and 80 deaths, including four deaths among confirmed positive cases.

The National Institute for Biomedical Research has confirmed the Ebola virus disease caused by the Bundibugyo strain in samples tested.

Kamba said health teams have been deployed to track contacts of confirmed cases and control the spread of the disease in Ituri, neighboring provinces, and border areas. Uganda confirmed one imported case on Friday involving a Congolese citizen who died in Kampala.

“This is a disease that is transmitted from person to person. The Mongwalu health zone affected is a high-mobility trading area, which puts North Kivu, Tshopo, Uganda, and South Sudan at risk,” he said.

The minister said the Bundibugyo strain differs from the Zaire strain in some symptoms. The disease often begins with fever, while signs of bleeding appear later. Health authorities have urged citizens to immediately report any suspected cases showing symptoms such as fever, vomiting, fatigue, or bleeding.

“The Bundibugyo strain does not have specific vaccines or treatments. However, for its management, the DRC is prepared and has the capacity, expertise, and resources to deal with the outbreak,” he said.