Ebola in the DRC: Government Reports 131 Deaths as WHO Sounds International Alarm
The Minister of Health of the Democratic Republic of Congo, Samuel-Roger Kamba, announced late Monday night into Tuesday, May 19, that the ongoing Ebola outbreak in the country may have already caused 131 deaths, with more than 513 suspected cases recorded across several provinces.
Speaking on national television, the minister nevertheless clarified that not all deaths recorded in communities have yet been formally attributed to the Ebola virus. According to him, the situation remains particularly concerning due to the rapid spread of the disease in certain areas of the eastern part of the country.
WHO Concerned by the Speed of the Outbreak
In response to the evolution of the outbreak, the World Health Organization declared a public health emergency of international concern on Sunday, May 17, its second-highest level of alert since the reform of the International Health Regulations.
WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said he was “deeply concerned by the scale and speed” of this outbreak, which mainly affects Ituri province in northeastern DRC.
The UN agency is currently examining several vaccine candidates and potential treatments against the Bundibugyo strain of the Ebola virus, identified in this new outbreak.
Jean-Jacques Muyembe Denounces Surveillance Failures
In an interview with ACTUALITE.CD, Professor Jean-Jacques Muyembe, co-discoverer of the Ebola virus in 1976, expressed anger over the delay in detecting the outbreak.
According to him, the health surveillance system did not function properly, allowing the virus to circulate for several weeks before its official confirmation. He revealed in particular that the first tests carried out locally could only detect the Zaire strain of the Ebola virus, while the current outbreak is caused by the Bundibugyo strain.
“There was a major weakness in surveillance,” the Congolese scientist regretted, saying that alerts should have been raised much earlier.
Confirmed Cases in Goma
Professor Jean-Jacques Muyembe also confirmed a positive case in Goma involving a woman whose husband died in Bunia.
Investigations are underway to identify people who had contact with the patient. Health authorities particularly fear the spread of the virus in densely populated urban areas marked by constant population movements.
In Kinshasa, a suspected case mentioned by some international sources was ultimately declared negative after analyses carried out by the National Institute for Biomedical Research.
An Outbreak in a Fragile Security Context
The epicenter of the outbreak is located in Ituri, a province that has faced insecurity and massive population displacement for several years due to armed conflicts and mining activities.
According to health authorities, this instability is severely complicating surveillance operations, patient care, and contact tracing.
Doctor and Nobel Peace Prize laureate Denis Mukwege called for the reopening of Goma airport to facilitate the delivery of medical aid and response teams.
Calls for Calm
Despite the current absence of an approved vaccine against the Bundibugyo strain, health experts remain relatively confident. Professor Muyembe recalled that the DRC has already managed to control fifteen previous outbreaks through classic public health measures, including patient isolation, contact tracing, and safe burials.
President Félix Tshisekedi called on the population to remain calm, vigilant, and to strictly observe the preventive measures recommended by health authorities.
Héritier Maila
Sources: ACTUALITE.CD, Le Monde, UNICEF, United Nations
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