DR Congo: Suspected Ebola cases near 1,000 with at least 220 deaths

Lead

The Ebola outbreak in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has surpassed 1,000 confirmed cases, health officials said, with 254 deaths since the outbreak was declared on May 15. The epicentre is the northeastern Ituri province, where violence and mass displacement are complicating containment efforts. At least 100 people have recovered, and 365 are in hospital or isolation, according to the DRC's Ministry of Health. The outbreak is caused by the rare Bundibugyo strain of Ebola, for which there is no approved vaccine or specific treatment.

Coverage Comparison

Reports from multiple outlets vary in the specific figures and details they include. Africa News and Al Jazeera, along with other sources, report that confirmed cases have reached 1,003, including 254 deaths, as of late Sunday, based on a statement from the Ministry of Health. The Hindu reports slightly different figures: it says the outbreak has infected over 1,000 people and killed 267, citing a senior World Health Organization (WHO) official who told a briefing on Tuesday that this is the largest number of confirmed cases in the first month of any Ebola outbreak in Africa. The discrepancy likely reflects the evolving nature of the outbreak as new data becomes available.

The Jerusalem Post, in a June 12 report, states that two Ebola-related deaths have been confirmed in a displacement camp in eastern Congo, according to the United Nations refugee agency (UNHCR). This earlier figure is lower than the current total, indicating the increase in cases over time.

Africa News also reported on the arrival of 100 tonnes of medical supplies from the European Civil Protection, and noted that the number of suspected cases in the east was nearing 1,000 with at least 220 suspected deaths at that time. That report also mentioned that Congo's health ministry had confirmed 101 cases and was investigating over 3,000 contacts, an early snapshot of the outbreak.

The BBC focused on the frontline health workers, describing them as "racing against the clock" to manage symptoms and protect themselves. The coverage highlighted the use of a 'Cube' device designed by the Alliance for International Medical Action (Alima) to allow treatment without direct contact, though the number of such devices in DRC remains limited.

Key Claims

• The number of confirmed cases in the Ebola outbreak in eastern DR Congo has surpassed 1,000, with 254 deaths, 100 recoveries, and 365 people in hospital or isolation, according to DRC's Ministry of Health (reported by Africa News, Al Jazeera, The Hindu).

• The outbreak is caused by the rare Bundibugyo strain of Ebola, for which there is no approved vaccine or specific treatment, according to multiple reports.

• Contact tracing has reached only about 55 percent of those who may have been exposed, according to the ministry, leaving major gaps in the response (reported by Al Jazeera and The Hindu).

• Officials have not yet identified the index case, the first person infected, and the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention's Director-General Dr. Jean Kaseya told the Associated Press last week that "we don't have confidence on when this outbreak started." This was quoted in Al Jazeera and The Hindu reports.

• The outbreak has the largest number of confirmed cases in the first month of any Ebola outbreak in Africa, according to WHO's Abdirahman Mahamud, who spoke at a press briefing in Geneva after returning from Bunia (reported by The Hindu).

• Ebola cases have been reported in at least three displacement camps, with at least 25 confirmed cases and 14 deaths, according to the International Organisation for Migration's Abdoulaye Wane (reported by The Hindu).

• Two Ebola-related deaths have been confirmed at the Kpangba displacement camp, which hosts 30,000 people, according to the UNHCR report (reported by the Jerusalem Post).

• The Red Cross has denounced an attack on its volunteers during a burial in Bunia, which injured several people. The IFRC statement said "attacks against volunteers not only endanger lives, they also undermine efforts to contain the outbreak and protect communities" (reported by Africa News).

• A six-month-old girl was buried in Bunia, another victim of the outbreak. She was the third child to die of Ebola at the Saint Nicolas orphanage, according to a priest at her funeral (reported by Africa News).

• The outbreak has spread to neighbouring Uganda, where Uganda closed its border with DRC. Uganda has reported cases, though figures vary: one report from Africa News mentions 2 deaths and 19 cases in Uganda, while another report from Al Jazeera mentions 7 confirmed cases in Uganda.

• Canada has ceased issuing visas to people from the DR Congo, South Sudan, and Uganda, and will require travellers from Congo to quarantine for at least 21 days (reported by Africa News).

• Violence, including attacks by the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF, linked to the Islamic State group), has cut off villages and forced thousands to flee, hampering access to affected communities (reported by Al Jazeera and Africa News).

• The outbreak is the country's 17th Ebola epidemic, as reported by Africa News.