Ebola Spreads to New Zone in Eastern DRC as Kenya Records Fatal Imported Case
The Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) has expanded into a new health zone in the east, while Kenya has confirmed a fatal imported case, highlighting the persistent threat of cross‑border transmission.
In its October 8 update, the World Health Organisation (WHO) reported that Alimbongo health zone in North Kivu province had recorded cases for the first time. As of October 6, four confirmed infections — including two deaths — had been detected there.
The outbreak is driven by the Bundibugyo virus, a species of Ebola virus. According to the WHO, cases have been reported across 64 health zones in seven provinces, with Ituri remaining the worst‑affected overall. However, North Kivu is now accounting for a rising share of newly confirmed infections.
As of October 6, the WHO had documented 8,728 confirmed cases and 4,205 confirmed deaths in the DRC. Another 2,269 people had recovered, placing the crude case fatality ratio at 48.2 percent.
Kenya Confirms Imported Case
Kenya recorded its first imported Bundibugyo virus disease case on October 6. The patient, a Kenyan national living in the DRC, fell ill there and sought care at multiple facilities before travelling by road to Kampala, Uganda, and then flying to Nairobi on October 3.
The patient was isolated upon arrival and later tested positive. Despite supportive treatment, the patient died on October 5, the WHO said.
Kenyan authorities have identified 28 contacts, including relatives and healthcare workers, while efforts are underway to trace passengers and crew from the flight to Nairobi. Kenya and Uganda have activated contact tracing and heightened surveillance.
On October 8, preliminary tests for a suspected case in Wajir County returned negative, easing fears of a second infection, though monitoring continues.
The incident underscores the importance of regional coordination, early detection and systematic monitoring of exposed individuals to prevent further spread.
Treatment Capacity Under Strain
In the DRC, the response is increasingly constrained by limited treatment capacity, insecurity, and community mistrust.
Daniel Makasi Levergénois, founder of Watoto Radio, said misinformation and insecurity in Beni and Butembo were hampering containment efforts, with rumours fuelling reluctance to cooperate with health teams.
Doctors Without Borders (MSF) reported on October 5 that North Kivu now accounts for nearly 40 percent of newly confirmed cases nationwide, up from 24 percent at the end of August. As of September 28, 34 percent of confirmed patients were being treated in non‑specialised facilities due to shortages of beds in dedicated treatment centres.
MSF warned that many peripheral facilities lack the expertise and resources required for Ebola care, increasing risks for both patients and health workers.
“For weeks, treatment capacity has stretched to its limit,” said Stephanie Hoffmann, coordinator of MSF’s Ebola treatment centre in Butembo. “Because there are not enough beds available, we are sometimes forced to refer confirmed Ebola patients elsewhere, despite the significant risk this poses to the wider community.”
Mistrust Threatens Containment
Community leader Alberto Lusenge said delays in stopping transmission in Ituri, coupled with new cases and attacks on response workers in Beni and Butembo, had deepened public anxiety. He warned that mistrust could discourage residents from reporting symptoms or cooperating with health teams.
The WHO said response teams were following up 23,741 of 29,535 identified contacts as of October 4 — 80.4 percent, below the minimum target of 85 percent. Gaps in follow‑up make it harder to detect infections early and break chains of transmission.
The Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) has called for a community‑centred response, including active case finding, systematic contact tracing, daily monitoring of exposed individuals and sustained engagement with local leaders.
A History of Deadly Outbreaks
The DRC’s 2018–2020 Ebola outbreak, caused by a different virus species, killed nearly 2,300 people. The current Bundibugyo‑driven outbreak presents distinct challenges: there are no approved vaccines or specific treatments for this virus species.
Early detection, supportive care and strict infection prevention remain the backbone of the response. But as infections spread into new health zones and treatment facilities struggle, authorities face the dual challenge of containing transmission and maintaining public trust.
Jean Kaseya, director‑general of Africa CDC, stressed the urgency of comprehensive contact tracing.
“To bring this outbreak under control, we need to know where every contact is, track them and quickly identify anyone showing symptoms before they pass the virus on,” he said in remarks cited by Al Jazeera. “We will only bring this outbreak under control once the last chain of transmission has been broken.”
Source: BBC