DR Congo Ebola cases top 2,400 amid continued transmission

Confirmed Ebola cases in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) have surpassed 2,400, with health authorities reporting 2,423 cases and 967 deaths as of July 19. The outbreak, attributed to the Bundibugyo ebolavirus, was declared on May 15 and has since spread across five provinces, affecting 47 health zones. Ituri province remains the epicenter, accounting for nearly 90% of the confirmed infections.

Despite ongoing efforts, transmission continues, facilitated by population movements, insecurity, artisanal mining, and cross-border exchanges with neighboring Uganda and South Sudan. The virus has also impacted frontline health workers, with 121 infected in Ituri province, resulting in 36 deaths. Currently, 734 patients remain in quarantine or treatment, while 469 individuals have recovered since the outbreak began.

Humanitarian organizations, including the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), are highlighting the increased risk of Ebola spread in eastern DRC due to overcrowding and limited access to basic services in displacement sites. Ebola cases have been reported in at least 16 sites sheltering over 270,000 displaced people in Ituri province. The UN and its partners are actively engaged in prevention and awareness campaigns, including installing handwashing stations and conducting community outreach.

OCHA continues to appeal for increased international support to sustain the Ebola response and provide essential aid to displaced communities already grappling with years of conflict, displacement, and deteriorating living conditions. A joint technical assessment of a mobile laboratory in Kasenyi, near the border with Uganda, was conducted by the DRC and Uganda to bolster cross-border surveillance efforts.