Ebola outbreak in Congo and Uganda reaches 246 suspected cases with 65 deaths reported
The World Health Organization has confirmed a new Ebola outbreak in a lake-border region between the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Uganda, caused by an uncommon strain of the virus. According to the figures reported, 246 suspected cases have been identified so far and 65 people have died. The WHO classified the outbreak as a regional emergency on 14 May.
The origin of the outbreak is thought to be in north-eastern DRC's Ituri province. A case-detection map shared by the WHO shows the first cases appearing on or around 5 May in a small rural settlement, then spreading to the Kasese region of western Uganda through cross-border travel. These movements have made it harder to contain the outbreak in a limited area.
The WHO's regional director for Africa, Matshidiso Moeti, told reporters: 'This outbreak is distinguished from earlier events by the early confirmation of which variant of the virus is involved.' The strain has been confirmed as Bundibugyo, first identified in Uganda in 2007. The Bundibugyo strain has been known to be less lethal than the more common Zaire strain, but still capable of rapid spread.
The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's director told Reuters on Friday that the agency had only been able to formally coordinate with the WHO the day before, ten days after confirmation of the outbreak. Cuts to the CDC's global health security budget over the past year may have limited the speed at which US agencies could respond to global health events.
In terms of response, WHO teams have begun coordinated work with regional health authorities in both countries. The Ervebo vaccine, stockpiled in the DRC since 2019, is being administered to volunteer health workers and high-risk contacts in areas with case concentration. Ervebo has been reported as up to 97% effective in previous outbreaks.
The Ugandan Health Ministry has announced the establishment of temporary isolation units in the Kasese and Bundibugyo districts. Health Minister Jane Ruth Aceng wrote on X: 'Our people have experience in dealing with Ebola, but the speed of response depends on maintaining contact-tracing capacity.' Uganda managed 142 cases during the 2022-2023 Sudan strain outbreak using a detailed protocol.
Cross-border travel management is a critical heading for containing the current outbreak. Two border crossings opened between Congo and Uganda last month have re-introduced temperature screening and travel records. As for flight links, Entebbe International Airport officials said that domestic restrictions were not needed except for those originating from the Kasese region.
The WHO said there is no approved treatment for the Bundibugyo strain, but that Ervebo may provide some cross-protection. In the 2007 Uganda outbreak the case-fatality rate for this strain was calculated at about 40%. The current outbreak's roughly 26% case fatality may reflect the early stage of the disease curve.
Among neighbouring countries, Rwanda and Tanzania have increased screening capacity at border areas; Burundi announced it had tripled health staff at its Congo crossings. The European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control has advised EU citizens travelling to these areas to reduce personal contact and follow local health alerts.
The WHO said it would publish daily updates and had requested an additional 11 million dollars in funding for the region. Donor coordination is expected to be clarified within the next 72 hours. The direction of the outbreak curve in coming weeks will be assessed against both contact-tracing capacity and the pace of Ervebo vaccination.