The Democratic Republic of the Congo has confirmed more than 7,000 infections in its deadliest-ever Ebola outbreak, according to data released by Congolese health authorities. The total case count now stands at 7,022, with 3,398 deaths recorded. Currently, 837 patients are undergoing isolation or treatment.
Authorities officially detected the current epidemic in mid-May, though epidemiologists believe the virus may have been circulating undetected for several weeks prior. This marks the 17th Ebola epidemic in the DRC and is caused by the rare Bundibugyo strain.
The outbreak originated in the northeastern Ituri province but has since expanded into remote eastern and northern areas characterized by prolonged armed conflict, weak state presence, and inadequate healthcare infrastructure. Earlier this week, a seventh province, South-Ubangi in the northwest near the borders with the Central African Republic and Congo-Brazzaville, reported a confirmed case.
While the majority of cases remain concentrated in Ituri, the virus has reached schools following the return of students after summer holidays, sparking panic among parents. Angele Magani, a mother in Bunia, Ituri’s capital, expressed deep anxiety to AFP news agency regarding student safety.
“We are very worried because we don’t know which child comes from which family or what the health status of the members of that family is,” Magani said. “We are so scared, even though the school authorities reassure us about the health measures that have been put in place.”
School officials have attempted to mitigate risks through strict hygiene protocols. Roger Mungimbo, a school official in Bunia, told AFP that mandatory hand-washing with soap is enforced, class sizes have been capped at 30 pupils, and children are being educated to avoid physical contact and greetings.
The Bundibugyo strain currently affecting the DRC differs from the Zaire virus responsible for the 2014-2016 West Africa epidemic, which killed over 11,325 people. Notably, there are currently no approved vaccines or specific treatments for the Bundibugyo variant, although several experimental therapies and vaccines are under investigation. Over the past half-century, Ebola has claimed more than 15,000 lives across the African continent.
Seven thousand cases in a conflict zone? I’m skeptical that containment is possible without a ceasefire first. The violence is the real bottleneck.
The expansion into schools is deeply alarming. Parents have every right to panic when they can’t verify who their children are exposed to daily.
I didn’t know there were different Ebola strains with varying vaccine availability. How can international aid be prioritized without knowing the specific risks?
This is terrifying. The lack of approved vaccines for the Bundibugyo strain makes controlling this so much harder than previous outbreaks.