The Ebola virus, caused by the Bundibugyo strain, has spread to two new health zones in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), according to the World Health Organization (WHO). New cases were identified in Bulu in South Ubangi governorate, which borders the Central African Republic, and Dungu in Haut-Uele province, bordering South Sudan. This development increases the number of affected health zones to 63 across seven provinces as authorities work to manage the outbreak.
As of September 23, the DRC has reported 7,890 confirmed cases and 3,799 deaths, indicating that nearly half of those infected have died. WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus noted that conflict and population displacement are complicating efforts for health workers to reach affected communities and trace potential exposures to the virus. "It’s very difficult to see Ebola in isolation because even our response to Ebola is affected by the conflict, because there is displacement and there is an access problem to some areas," Tedros stated.
The Bundibugyo strain is challenging to treat due to the absence of approved vaccines. Tedros mentioned that the WHO is accelerating clinical trials for vaccines and treatments. Health workers are currently struggling to identify individuals who may have been exposed to the virus. Dr. Jean Kaseya, director-general of the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC), indicated that the over 7,000 confirmed cases should correspond to approximately 420,000 contacts, but only about 30,000 individuals are currently on the contact list. "When the outbreak is at community level, we cannot talk about control," Kaseya added.
Ituri province remains the epicenter of the outbreak, with 6,032 confirmed cases reported since the epidemic began in May, including 868 new cases in the last 21 days. North Kivu is the second most affected province, reporting 1,480 new cases, with 567 occurring in the last 21 days. The province accounts for about one-third of newly confirmed cases and deaths, according to a WHO report. Nearly 60 percent of diagnosed individuals in North Kivu have died, which is significantly higher than the national average of 48 percent.
Medical professionals report that patients are delaying visits to health facilities until their conditions worsen. Dr. Michel Paluku Mukuloli, who works at a hospital in Butembo, North Kivu, stated, "Patients think that if they arrive at the hospital, they will be immediately sent to the treatment centre to die." This perception complicates efforts to identify cases and initiate treatment before the disease progresses to severe stages. North Kivu was the epicenter of three previous Ebola outbreaks, including the 2018-2020 outbreak, which was the largest and deadliest in the DRC until this year. The Bundibugyo strain is less understood, but responders note that early symptoms can be mild and easily confused with more common illnesses such as malaria and typhoid fever.