Congo reports sharp rise in Ebola cases as WHO worries about outbreak’s scale and speed

The Democratic Republic of the Congo reported 131 deaths and over 500 suspected cases of the rare Bundibugyo Ebola virus, prompting WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus to express deep concern over the outbreak’s rapid spread and scale. The virus was initially misidentified due to testing for the more common Zaire strain, delaying the response, while health workers and urban areas are now affected, including Bunia and rebel-held Goma." "article": "The World Health Organization (WHO) warned Tuesday that the recent Ebola outbreak in eastern Congo, caused by the rare Bundibugyo virus, is spreading faster than expected. Congo’s health minister, Samuel Roger Kamba, confirmed 131 deaths and over 500 suspected cases, though investigations are ongoing to verify links to the virus. The outbreak has already reached urban centers like Bunia and Goma, complicating containment efforts. WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus called the outbreak’s scale and speed alarming, particularly due to cases in urban areas and healthcare worker deaths. The WHO declared a public health emergency of international concern and will convene an emergency committee to coordinate a response. Uganda has reported one death linked to travel from Congo, raising regional concerns. The outbreak was initially delayed after the first death on April 24 in Bunia went undetected due to testing for the Zaire strain, which returned negative. Samples were later sent to Kinshasa, but only laboratories there and in Goma—now under rebel control—can test for Bundibugyo. Dr. Richard Kitenge, Congo’s Ebola incident manager, noted the misdiagnosis contributed to the outbreak’s escalation. No approved vaccines or treatments exist for Bundibugyo Ebola, though the WHO is considering repurposing the Erbevo vaccine, which would take two months to deploy. For now, aid groups like Doctors Without Borders and the Red Cross are on the ground, while the CDC and Africa CDC have not yet sent teams. Cases have been confirmed in Bunia, Goma, Mongbwalu, Nyakunde, and Butembo, home to over a million people. American doctor Peter Stafford, working with the Christian organization Serge, is among confirmed cases in Bunia. Three other Serge employees were exposed but remain asymptomatic. The outbreak’s rapid spread and limited testing capacity highlight the challenges in controlling the virus in Congo’s conflict-affected regions.