DR Congo Ebola Cases Surpass 10,000 As Death Toll Nears 4,900
The Democratic Republic of Congo (DR Congo) has reported over 10,000 confirmed cases of Ebola, with the death toll reaching 4,887 amid escalating concerns about the outbreak’s potential spread to other African nations. As of Tuesday, the public health institute of DR Congo reported a total of 10,060 confirmed cases.
This outbreak, attributed to the Bundibugyo strain of the Ebola virus, was first declared in mid-May and has quickly become the largest and most lethal Ebola epidemic in the country’s history, surpassing the previous outbreak that occurred between 2018 and 2020.
Globally, it ranks as the second-largest and second-deadliest Ebola outbreak recorded, following the 2014-2016 epidemic in West Africa, which infected more than 28,600 individuals and resulted in over 11,000 fatalities, primarily in Guinea, Liberia, and Sierra Leone.
The ongoing outbreak raises concerns about cross-border transmission, with both Kenya and Nigeria recently reporting cases. Kenya confirmed its first case earlier this month, tallying a total of nine cases since a man who had traveled from DR Congo through Uganda died in Nairobi.
Nigeria also recorded a case last week, marking the fourth African country tied to the current outbreak. Health authorities in Nigeria are investigating how the virus was contracted by the patient, identified as the wife of a Swiss diplomat who had not traveled to DR Congo. The Swiss government indicated that she likely contracted the virus while in Uganda.
The woman and her husband were airlifted to hospitals in Switzerland on Monday.
Uganda, which experienced 20 cases in May and June—largely emanating from DR Congo—was declared Ebola-free by the World Health Organization in August. However, the Ugandan health minister announced on Sunday that individuals returning from DR Congo with a travel history to the region will undergo a mandatory 21-day quarantine as a preventive measure against further transmission.
