The Ebola virus epidemic continues to spread in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), with 1,203 cases recorded and 321 deaths since its declaration in mid-May, according to the latest health ministry update released Friday.
Health authorities report that 148 patients have been declared cured, while 419 others remain hospitalised or in isolation. Caused by the Bundibugyo strain, the outbreak now affects 34 health zones across the provinces of Ituri—the main epicentre—as well as North Kivu and South Kivu.
The health ministry highlights several challenges hindering the response, including community refusal of post-mortem tests, limited treatment capacity in Ituri, and a contact tracing rate still below the 95% target. Authorities are urging the public to report any suspected cases, follow hygiene measures, and avoid handling corpses.
International partners remain engaged. Africa CDC Director General Jean Kaseya confirmed that the World Health Organization (WHO), the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC), as well as Congolese and French authorities, are pursuing a coordinated response to contain the outbreak.
Meanwhile, WHO Director General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus stated that the armed conflict is severely complicating health operations by limiting access to affected areas, dispersing contacts, and fuelling community mistrust.
In this context, Africa CDC announced the launch, in partnership with the WHO Regional Office for Africa and the Ugandan government, of a joint Continental Incident Management Support Team (IMST). Based at Makerere University in Uganda, this platform aims to strengthen intervention coordination, technical assistance, and cross-border cooperation for the DRC, Uganda, and neighbouring countries at risk.
According to Africa CDC, this initiative reflects the continent’s determination to bolster its preparedness and response capacities for health emergencies through coordinated, African-led action.
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