The Ebola outbreak caused by the Bundibugyo virus in the Democratic Republic of the Congo has grown to more than 800 suspected cases with a rising death toll, prompting WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus to express alarm over the epidemic’s scale and speed.
Updated figures cited by health monitors showed more than 180 deaths across affected zones in Ituri Province, including areas around Mongbwalu and Rwampara. Laboratory confirmation identified the Bundibugyo species on May 15 after weeks of unexplained high-mortality illness.
Uganda confirmed imported cases linked to travel from Congo, including patients treated in Kampala intensive care units. WHO assessed the risk as very high for Congo and high for Uganda as of May 22 following an emergency committee meeting.
Response teams are establishing isolation facilities, delivering protective equipment and engaging communities on safe burial practices. Experts warned that delayed detection allowed transmission to spread before containment measures could be fully activated in a region with limited health infrastructure.
High-mortality cases first appeared in Mongbwalu Health Zone in early May, including deaths among frontline health workers who lacked confirmed diagnoses for days. Neighboring countries sharing land borders with Congo face high importation risk due to trade routes and population movement. WHO emergency committee members said on May 19 that any response must account for insecurity and operational constraints in eastern Congo.
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Sources:
https://www.livescience.com/health/viruses-infections-disease/ebola-outbreak-in-central-africa-will-be-a-nightmare-to-contain-experts-warn