Congo hit by a new Ebola epidemic: already 80 deaths in the east of the country

The Democratic Republic of Congo has confirmed a new Ebola outbreak in the eastern province of Ituri, where at least 80 people have already died, the Congolese Ministry of Health announced on Friday.

Health Minister Samuel Roger Kamba Mulamba announced that tests conducted on Thursday confirmed eight cases of the Bundibugyo strain of the Ebola virus. The infections were detected in the health districts of Rwampara, Mongwalu, and Bunia, located in an unstable region near the borders with Uganda and South Sudan.

This new outbreak comes as neighbouring Uganda also recently confirmed an Ebola epidemic, raising concerns about a regional spread of the virus in this part of Central and East Africa.

According to humanitarian organizations on the ground, the security situation in Ituri is severely complicating the health response. The province is plagued by recurring armed violence that disrupts medical care, limits the movement of health teams, and makes it more difficult to quickly identify cases.

Ebola is a highly contagious viral disease transmitted through direct contact with the bodily fluids of infected individuals. Symptoms include high fever, vomiting, diarrhea, and, in some cases, internal and external bleeding. Certain strains of the virus have particularly high mortality rates.

The Democratic Republic of Congo regularly faces Ebola epidemics. The one announced on Friday is the 17th recorded in the country since the virus was discovered in 1976 near the Ebola River in northern Congo.

Health authorities and international organizations are now trying to intensify surveillance, case isolation and vaccination measures to prevent wider spread in a region already weakened by conflict and a lack of medical infrastructure.