Ebola cases in DR Congo rise to 7,022 as outbreak spreads to seventh province

Africa, Health

KINSHASA, DR Congo (NPA) — The number of confirmed Ebola cases in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has risen to 7,022, according to the latest government data, as the outbreak has spread to a seventh province.

The latest situation report from the country’s public health institute showed that South Ubangi, in northwestern DRC, had become the latest province affected by the outbreak.

The development marks a further expansion of the outbreak, which has become the largest Ebola outbreak recorded in the DRC in terms of confirmed cases. The current outbreak is caused by the Bundibugyo species of Ebola virus.

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According to the latest figures, the outbreak had recorded 3,398 deaths as of September 10, giving a case-fatality rate of about 48.4 per cent.

The first confirmed case in South Ubangi was detected in the Bulu health zone. Health authorities said the patient, a young man who later died, had travelled through several provinces before arriving in the northwestern region, raising concerns about further transmission along the route.

Authorities have identified people who had contact with the patient and placed them under monitoring as part of efforts to contain the spread.

Ebola is a severe viral disease transmitted primarily through direct contact with the blood or other bodily fluids of an infected person or contaminated materials. Symptoms can include fever, fatigue, vomiting, diarrhoea and, in some cases, bleeding.

The World Health Organisation and health authorities have intensified response efforts, including vaccination of frontline workers and the expansion of treatment and surveillance activities. However, insecurity, population movement, shortages of health workers and funding constraints continue to complicate the response.

Earlier, Newpost Africa reported that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu had in June approved the establishment of a Presidential Task Force on Ebola Virus Disease Preparedness and Emerging Public Health Threats and ordered the immediate release of ₦10 billion in emergency intervention funding.

According to the Presidency, the funding is intended to strengthen the operational preparedness of the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) and support critical public health emergency response activities.

The task force, chaired by the Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila, comprises representatives of relevant Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs), as well as state governments.

The measures followed a high-level stakeholders’ meeting convened to assess Nigeria’s preparedness and develop strategies to prevent the possible importation and spread of Ebola.

The Federal Government subsequently directed states hosting international airports and border corridors, alongside relevant agencies, to submit detailed preparedness plans, funding requirements and intervention needs.

Other measures announced included intensified passenger screening at international airports, enhanced temperature monitoring, improved crowd-control procedures and increased surveillance of passengers arriving through identified high-risk routes.

The government also directed the activation of referral and isolation centres at the international airports in Lagos and Abuja, with similar facilities planned for other airports.

Additional measures included the use of QR code-based pre-arrival health declaration systems for passengers arriving from or transiting through designated high-risk countries, as well as routine disinfection of airport facilities, cargo areas and baggage-handling infrastructure.

The Nigerian authorities also directed relevant security, diplomatic and aviation agencies to review and implement additional safeguards for flights originating from countries affected by Ebola.