BUNIA, Congo — The Ebola outbreak in eastern Congo has resulted in 1,003 confirmed cases and 254 fatalities, as officials report significant challenges in tracing individuals who have interacted with infected patients.
According to Congo’s Ministry of Health, 100 people have recovered since the outbreak was declared on May 15, primarily affecting the Ituri province. As of Sunday, 365 patients remain hospitalized or in isolation, the ministry said.
The outbreak, driven by the rare Bundibugyo virus for which no vaccines or treatments exist, experienced its most severe phase in its first month. Officials acknowledge the possibility of unreported cases and anticipate the outbreak has not yet reached its peak.
Local authorities face difficulties in contact tracing, achieving only 55% coverage, the ministry reported.
Dr. Jean Kaseya, Director-General of the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, emphasized the importance of identifying the initial case to control the outbreak, acknowledging uncertainties about its origin during a conversation with The Associated Press last week.
Authorities continue efforts to identify the outbreak’s patient zero, with over 35,000 individuals who have had contact with infected people yet to be traced as of last week.
Eastern Congo’s struggle is compounded by ongoing violence from rebel groups. In Ituri, attacks by the Islamic State-backed Allied Democratic Force have restricted access to many areas, displacing residents and complicating containment efforts.
Over a month since the outbreak began, officials worry that the disease is spreading faster than response measures can keep up, leaving the true extent of the outbreak uncertain.
Displaced persons at risk as unexplained deaths reported in a camp
At the Kigonze displacement camp in Bunia, Ituri’s capital, officials reported that 10 people died under unusual circumstances last week, raising fears of a potential outbreak among the camp’s over 20,000 displaced residents.
No Ebola cases have been confirmed at the camp, but the unprecedented death rate has prompted calls for further investigation.
The U.N. refugee agency has expressed serious concern over the rapid spread of the virus and the increasing threat it poses to displaced communities, noting that at least 2 million displaced individuals, including over 320,000 refugees, reside in Ebola-risk areas across Congo.
Charité Banza, a civil society leader in Ituri, warned of the catastrophic consequences if the virus spreads among the densely populated Kigonze site, emphasizing the precarious living conditions of its residents.
— Justin Kabumba and Constant Same Bagalwa
