A New Ebola Epidemic Erupts in Congo: Dozens Dead and Hundreds Infected 0 18

A new outbreak of the Ebola virus has occurred in one of the remote provinces of the Democratic Republic of Congo, reports NOS. According to the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC), 65 deaths have been recorded to date. At least 246 other individuals are suspected of being infected with the deadly virus.

The main cases of illness and death have been recorded in small settlements in Ituri province, including the town of Mongbwalu. Suspicious cases have also been identified in the regional administrative center — the city of Bunia, but they are still awaiting official confirmation.

Ituri province is located in the northeastern part of the country near the border with Uganda. The region is considered hard to reach: poor roads and distance from the capital complicate the delivery of medicines and vaccines.

Representatives of Africa CDC warn that the risk of further spread of the infection remains high, writes NOS. Particular concern is raised by the active movement of the population, urban conditions in Bunia, and intensive activities in mining areas.

The Ebola virus is transmitted through human bodily fluids — blood, vomit, and other secretions. The disease is considered extremely dangerous and often leads to death.

The previous outbreak of Ebola in Congo ended about five months ago. At that time, at least 43 people fell victim to the disease. The largest epidemic in the country occurred from 2018 to 2020 and claimed nearly 2,300 lives.

The situation is complicated by the unstable situation in eastern Congo, where clashes continue between government forces and armed groups, including M23.

In the editorial's view, the new Ebola outbreak once again shows how vulnerable poor and hard-to-reach regions of Africa remain to dangerous epidemics, especially against the backdrop of armed conflicts and weak medical infrastructure.