The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) says the ongoing Ebola outbreak has led to 513 suspected cases and 131 deaths across affected communities.
Speaking on Monday, Congo’s Health Minister, Samuel Roger Kamba, said the figures relate to the spread of the Bundibugyo strain of the Ebola virus in Ituri Province.
Kamba explained that investigations were still ongoing to confirm how many of the recorded deaths were directly linked to Ebola.
“These are suspected deaths, and investigations are underway to determine which ones are actually linked to the disease,” he said.
According to the minister, six areas including Mongbwalu and Rwampara have now been officially classified as affected zones.
Authorities identified Bunia and Nyankunde in Ituri province as key epicentres of the outbreak, while the virus has also spread to Butembo-Katwa and Goma in North Kivu province.
Kamba blamed the delayed detection of the outbreak on misinformation and cultural beliefs within communities.
“The alert was delayed in the community because there was a belief that it was a mystical disease, and this caused the disease to spread,” he added.
In neighbouring Uganda, the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention confirmed two Ebola cases and one death in Kampala.
The Congolese Ministry of Health officially declared the outbreak on May 15, making it the seventeenth Ebola outbreak recorded in the DRC since 1976.
Health officials said genomic sequencing identified the virus as the Bundibugyo variant, a strain different from those involved in the 2007 and 2012 outbreaks.
The National Institute of Biomedical Research said the strain originated directly from an animal reservoir.
Authorities also warned that there is currently no approved vaccine or specific treatment for the Bundibugyo strain.
On Sunday, the World Health Organization declared Ebola a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC).
Africa CDC also announced a continental public health emergency on Monday, the first ever for an Ebola outbreak and pledged $2 million to support emergency response efforts across Africa.
Meanwhile, the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention said it is closely monitoring the Ebola outbreaks in the DRC and Uganda.
