New Ebola Outbreak in Congo's Ituri Province Kills at Least 65

Africa’s top public health body has confirmed a new Ebola outbreak in Congo’s Ituri province, recording 246 suspected cases and 65 deaths so far. The Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention announced the figures on Friday, marking the 17th outbreak in the country since Ebola first emerged there in 1976.

The agency highlighted the risk of further spread because of intense population movement across the region and ongoing attacks by armed groups that have killed dozens and displaced thousands in parts of Ituri province over the past year. Gaps in contact tracing have also complicated efforts by local authorities racing to identify those who might have been exposed.

Initial laboratory results suggest this is a non-Zaire Ebola virus strain. Sequencing is continuing, with final characterization expected within 24 hours.

The World Health Organization noted during Congo’s Ebola outbreak last year that the country holds a stockpile of treatments and about 2,000 doses of vaccine. A professor of public health who has worked on past responses in Congo said treatments for viral infections like Ebola often focus on managing symptoms, and that vaccine strategy will depend on confirmation of the current strain.

" — Dr. agencies and other partner countries. Discussions centered on immediate response priorities, cross-border coordination, enhanced surveillance, safe burials and resource mobilization. Congo and local health workers bring extensive experience from previous outbreaks as well as existing infrastructure such as laboratories.

Logistical challenges remain significant in the country, Africa’s second-largest by land area, where bad roads and long distances have slowed past responses. During last year’s three-month outbreak, the WHO initially struggled to deliver vaccines, which arrived a full week after confirmation.

Funding concerns also surfaced then, following U.S. funding cuts that affected support for Congo’s earlier Ebola responses. In 2021 the U.S. Agency for International Development had provided up to $11.5 million for efforts across Africa.

Ebola spreads to people from wild animals and then transmits between humans through direct contact with bodily fluids such as blood, vomit or semen, as well as contaminated surfaces like bedding and clothing. The virus causes a rare but severe illness marked by fever, vomiting, diarrhea, muscle pain and, in some cases, internal and external bleeding.

It was first identified in 1976 near the Ebola River in what is now Congo. The Africa CDC statement emphasized that Congo’s history of managing Ebola gives responders an advantage, provided that resources reach affected areas swiftly. Health officials continue to race against further transmission in a region already strained by conflict and displacement.