The Democratic Republic of Congo has recorded 131 deaths in the ongoing Ebola outbreak affecting several communities across the country.
Congo’s Health Minister, Samuel Roger Kamba, disclosed that 513 suspected cases have so far been identified, although investigations are still ongoing to confirm how many of the deaths were directly caused by Ebola.
According to the minister, six areas, including Mongbwalu and Rwampara, have officially been declared outbreak zones in Ituri province, while the virus has also spread to Butembo-Katwa and Goma in North Kivu province.
Kamba blamed the delayed response on local beliefs and misconceptions surrounding the disease, noting that many residents initially viewed the outbreak as a mystical illness.
The Congolese government declared the outbreak on May 15 after genomic sequencing confirmed the virus as the Bundibugyo strain of Ebola, a variant different from those recorded in previous outbreaks.
Health authorities also revealed that there is currently no approved vaccine or specific treatment for the Bundibugyo variant.
Meanwhile, the World Health Organization has declared the outbreak a Public Health Emergency of International Concern, while the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention announced a continental health emergency and pledged $2 million to support response efforts.
Nigeria’s Centre for Disease Control and Prevention said it is closely monitoring the situation in both Congo and neighbouring Uganda following confirmed Ebola cases in Kampala.
