Ebola Outbreak Expands in Eastern DRC as Kenya Reports Fatal Imported Case

Beni, Democratic Republic of Congo – The Ebola epidemic in the Democratic Republic of Congo has expanded into a new region in the east, coinciding with a fatal imported case in Kenya that has highlighted the dangers of cross-border transmission.

According to an October 8 update from the World Health Organization (WHO), the Alimbongo health zone in North Kivu province reported its first cases of the disease. By October 6, four confirmed infections and two deaths had been recorded in the area.

The current outbreak is driven by the Bundibugyo virus species. As of October 6, the WHO stated that cases had emerged across 64 health zones in seven provinces. While Ituri remains the most heavily affected province in terms of cumulative infections, North Kivu is seeing a rising proportion of new confirmed cases.

As of October 6, the total tally in the DRC reached 8,728 confirmed cases and 4,205 deaths. Additionally, 2,269 patients have recovered, resulting in a crude case fatality rate of 48.2 percent.

Kenya Confirms Imported Death

On October 6, Kenyan authorities confirmed their first imported case of Bundibugyo virus disease, according to the WHO. The patient, a Kenyan national who had been residing in the DRC, became ill there and sought treatment at multiple facilities before traveling to Kenya via Uganda.

The individual traveled by road to Kampala, Uganda, and subsequently flew to Nairobi, arriving on October 3. After being isolated in a hospital, the patient tested positive for the virus but succumbed to the illness on October 5 despite receiving supportive care.

Kenyan health officials have identified 28 close contacts, including family members and healthcare workers. The WHO also reported that efforts are underway to trace passengers and crew from the flight to Nairobi.

Public health interventions, including contact tracing and enhanced surveillance, have been launched in both Kenya and Uganda. On October 8, preliminary laboratory results for a suspected Ebola case in Kenya’s Wajir County returned negative, easing fears of a second case, though monitoring remains active.

Treatment Capacity Strained

In the DRC, containment efforts are being hampered by insufficient treatment capacity, insecurity, and community reluctance to cooperate. Daniel Makasi Levergénois, founder of Watoto Radio, noted that misinformation and insecurity in Beni and Butembo, both located in North Kivu, have fueled rumors and reduced community engagement with response teams.

Doctors Without Borders (MSF) reported in an October 5 update that North Kivu now accounts for nearly 40 percent of new nationwide cases, up from 24 percent at the end of August. Furthermore, as of September 28, 34 percent of confirmed Ebola patients were being treated in non-specialized health facilities.

MSF warned that dedicated treatment centers lack adequate beds, and diagnostic delays have led some patients to receive care in facilities ill-equipped to manage Ebola. This increases the risk of transmission among patients and healthcare workers.

“For weeks, treatment capacity has stretched to its limit,” said Stephanie Hoffmann, coordinator of MSF’s Ebola treatment center in Butembo. “Because there are not enough beds available, we are sometimes forced to refer confirmed Ebola patients elsewhere, despite the significant risk this poses to the wider community.”

Mistrust Hinders Response

Community leader Alberto Lusenge in Beni expressed concern that early failures to contain transmission in Ituri province, combined with attacks on response workers in North Kivu, have deepened public distrust. He cautioned that without stronger community cooperation, North Kivu could become an even more significant hotspot.

As of October 4, WHO response teams were following up with 23,741 of 29,535 identified contacts, representing 80.4 percent follow-up—below the target of at least 85 percent. Gaps in contact tracing can impede the ability to detect infections early and break chains of transmission.

The Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) has called for a community-centered strategy involving active case finding, systematic contact tracing, daily monitoring of exposed individuals, and sustained community engagement.

The DRC’s previous major Ebola outbreak, which occurred between 2018 and 2020 and was caused by a different virus species, killed nearly 2,300 people. The current outbreak presents unique challenges, as there are no approved vaccines or specific treatments for Bundibugyo virus disease.

Africa CDC Director-General Jean Kaseya emphasized the urgency of the situation. “To bring this outbreak under control, we need to know where every contact is, track them and quickly identify anyone showing symptoms before they pass the virus on to their family, their community or across borders,” Kaseya said. “We will only bring this outbreak under control once the last chain of transmission has been broken.”