Health authorities have raised concern following a new outbreak of the Ebola virus in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), with neighbouring Uganda also confirming a related case.
The Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention reported 246 suspected cases and 65 deaths in Ituri province in northeastern DRC, marking a significant resurgence of the deadly virus in the region.
Preliminary laboratory tests indicate that 13 of 20 samples have tested positive for Ebola, with four confirmed deaths among laboratory-verified cases. Additional suspected cases have also been reported in Bunia, pending confirmation.
Shortly after the DRC announcement, Uganda confirmed an Ebola-related death in its capital, Kampala. The victim, a Congolese national, had recently travelled from the DRC. Health officials say no locally transmitted case has yet been confirmed in Uganda.
The outbreak has heightened concern due to the fragile security situation in eastern DRC, where armed groups continue to operate in resource-rich areas, making disease control efforts more difficult. The affected region also suffers from poor infrastructure and is over 1,000 kilometres from the capital, Kinshasa.
The Africa CDC has warned that increased cross-border movement between the DRC, Uganda, and South Sudan raises the risk of wider transmission. The agency is coordinating an emergency response meeting with regional governments, UN bodies, and international partners to strengthen surveillance and containment measures.
The United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has also confirmed it is monitoring the situation and providing technical support to affected countries.
Ebola, first identified in 1976, is a highly infectious and often fatal disease transmitted through direct contact with bodily fluids, causing severe hemorrhagic symptoms and organ failure.
