The government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) stated on the 18th that the new outbreak of Ebola in Ituri Province in the eastern part of the country continues to spread. So far, 116 suspected case deaths have been reported, and another 435 suspected cases are under observation and treatment. Relevant laboratory testing and epidemiological investigations are still underway.
Patrick Muyaya, the DRC’s Minister of Communication and Media and government spokesperson, said at the press conference that cases have been reported in Ituri Province as well as multiple locations in the neighboring North Kivu Province. The Congolese health authorities indicated that related testing and analysis are still ongoing to confirm whether the reported suspected deaths are all linked to the Ebola virus.
Previously, the DRC Ministry of Health said on the 15th that as of that day, there were a total of 80 deaths nationwide, among which 4 cases were confirmed as Ebola virus infections by testing.
The Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention announced on the 15th that an Ebola outbreak had occurred in Ituri Province, DRC. On the same day, the Ugandan Ministry of Health reported that a confirmed imported case had died in Uganda. On the 17th, the World Health Organization announced that the Ebola outbreaks in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Uganda constitute a “public health emergency of international concern.” Neighboring countries such as Rwanda, Zambia, and Tanzania have successively announced strengthened border health surveillance, entry screening, and epidemic prevention and control preparedness.