Epidemic (human)
Details
Event title
Congo DRC - Ebola outbreak in DR Congo: Over 80 dead, 246 cases reported in Ituri province; health emergency declared
Source
Main event
Event date (UTC)
2026-05-16 10:33:39
Last update (UTC)
2026-05-23 04:45:31
Severity
High
Area range
County wide event
Address/Affected area(s)
Ituri, Tshopo
Africa's top public health agency has declared an Ebola outbreak in the eastern Ituri province of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), with 246 cases and 80 deaths reported so far, mainly in the gold-mining towns of Mongwalu and Rwampara.The Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) said preliminary laboratory tests conducted at the Institut National de Recherche Biomédicale in Kinshasa have confirmed the virus in 13 of 20 samples, while further tests are underway to determine the strain. Of the reported deaths, four were among confirmed cases.Additional suspected infections have been reported in the provincial capital Bunia. Health officials have warned of a high risk of further spread due to population movement, urban settings in affected areas, and mining activity, BBC reported.Uganda on Friday also confirmed an imported Ebola case linked to DR Congo. The Ugandan health ministry said a 59-year-old Congolese man, who was admitted to a hospital in Kampala on Monday, died on Thursday in intensive care after testing positive for Ebola.