Health Minister Samuel Roger Kamba announced last week that the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) is facing another Ebola outbreak, its sixth in seven years. The latest cluster is concentrated in the Bulape health zone of Central Kasai Province.
The World Health Organization regional director for Africa, Mohamed Janabi, said the first known patient was a 34-year-old pregnant woman admitted on August 20 who died five days later with symptoms of hemorrhagic fever, including bloody diarrhea and vomiting.
As of September 4, the outbreak carried a fatality rate of 57 percent, with most cases reported in people 15 and older. Teams of responders have already deployed with protective equipment and medical supplies, and health workers in Kinshasa have received vaccinations ahead of assignments in the affected areas. Congo has about 2,000 vaccine doses on hand and more are on order.
Patrick Otim, the WHO’s emergency response coordinator, said contact tracing, expanded lab testing, and community engagement are underway. He stressed that rapid delivery of medical supplies and early supportive care are critical to saving lives.
The DRC’s fragile health system is already under strain from a parallel mpox outbreak that has infected more than 130,000 people and killed about 2,000. The nearest isolation ward to Central Kasai has only 15 beds, and road access from Kinshasa can take up to three days, complicating logistics.
The WHO has shipped 13 tons of emergency supplies to Congo, while neighboring African nations have tightened health surveillance at borders.
Concerns about global readiness were amplified after the Trump administration cut U.S. funding to the WHO earlier this year. Otim warned those cuts could hamper the ability of countries and agencies to respond to outbreaks like Ebola. “Diseases do not respect borders,” he said.