Lead

An Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo has killed more than 400 people and is still spreading, with a first case reported in the major city of Kisangani nearly 600 kilometres from its epicentre. The highly infectious disease has claimed 438 lives among the 1,406 people confirmed infected — a fatality rate of just over 31 percent — since the outbreak was declared on May 15, the National Institute of Public Health (INSP) said in its latest report published on Thursday.

The centre of the outbreak — whose true scale remains difficult to assess — is in the northeastern Ituri province, where more than 83 percent of the deaths have occurred. The province borders South Sudan and Uganda, which has reported 20 cases including two deaths. The virus has also spread to the nearby provinces of North Kivu and South Kivu.

Coverage Comparison

Both Africa News and France 24 — English reported the same core figures: the 438 deaths among 1,406 confirmed infections, the 31 percent fatality rate, and the concentration of deaths in Ituri province. Both outlets also noted that the outbreak has spread to North Kivu, South Kivu, and Tshopo provinces, and that a case was recently reported in Kisangani, a northeastern city of 1.5 million residents and the capital of Tshopo province.

France 24 — English additionally reported on the challenges facing health workers in Ituri, including deep mistrust among the local population. The outlet reported that some locals deny the existence of the disease, while others accuse international organisations of trying to make a profit. It also reported that a health centre managed by local health authorities was set on fire in the health zone of Nia Nia, and that seven suspected cases who were in isolation at the centre fled and have not been found so far.

Key Claims

  • The Ebola outbreak in the DR Congo has killed 438 people among 1,406 confirmed infections, a fatality rate of just over 31 percent, since it was declared on May 15.
  • The outbreak is centred in Ituri province, where more than 83 percent of deaths have occurred.
  • The virus has spread to North Kivu, South Kivu, and Tshopo provinces, with a case reported in Kisangani.
  • A test on the body of a 24-year-old pregnant woman was positive for Ebola, the INSP said. Health authorities said the body had been "secretly transported by motorcycle" to Kisangani from the health zone of Nia Nia in Ituri.
  • In Haut-Uele province, which borders Ituri, a death and a case of infection were reported at the start of the week. Health authorities said the infected person was "on the run" from the Nia Nia health zone.
  • Ebola, which spreads through contact with bodily fluids, has killed more than 15,000 people in Africa over the past 50 years.
  • The current outbreak is the 17th to hit the DRC, whose most deadly outbreak killed nearly 2,300 people between 2018 and 2020.
  • The Bundibugyo strain of the Ebola virus is behind the current outbreak, and no vaccine or specific treatment exists.
  • A trial of potential Ebola treatments — the monoclonal antibody MBP134 and the antiviral drug remdesivir — has begun, but could take months to produce definitive answers.
  • Health and aid workers in Ituri face deep mistrust among the local population, with some locals denying the existence of the disease and others accusing international organisations of trying to make a profit.
  • An Ebola health centre managed by local health authorities was set on fire in the health zone of Nia Nia, and seven suspected cases who were in isolation fled and have not been found so far.

Perspectives

DRC President Felix Tshisekedi

"Epidemics do not recognise borders," Tshisekedi said on Thursday at a press conference in Kinshasa following an official visit by his South African counterpart Cyril Ramaphosa.

South African President Cyril Ramaphosa

Ramaphosa called on the world to "not lock out the DRC" by imposing travel bans, expressing optimism toward containing the outbreak. He said he had hope that "we should be able, as we work very hard, to even have a vaccine for this variant of Ebola by the end of this year."