Ebola Reaches South Kivu, Killing 28-Year-Old as DRC Outbreak Hits 139 Deaths
Updated
Updated · Reuters · May 21
Ebola Reaches South Kivu, Killing 28-Year-Old as DRC Outbreak Hits 139 Deaths
8 articles · Updated · Reuters · May 21
South Kivu confirmed an Ebola case near Bukavu, where a 28-year-old patient died after travelling from Kisangani, marking spread hundreds of kilometres beyond the outbreak's Ituri epicentre.
139 deaths and 600 suspected cases have been linked to the Bundibugyo-strain outbreak in Ituri and North Kivu, while two cases have also been confirmed in neighbouring Uganda.
A second suspected case in South Kivu is in isolation awaiting test results, and a confirmed case was reported last week in Goma, another rebel-controlled city in eastern DRC.
No approved vaccine exists for the Bundibugyo strain, and CEPI said confirmed infections are likely only the "top of the iceberg" after about two months of undetected circulation.
Armed conflict, urban spread and aid shortages are hampering containment, even as Britain pledged up to 20 million pounds and the United States committed $23 million to the response.
With no approved vaccine and a war raging, is Congo's new Ebola outbreak an unstoppable threat?
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2026 Bundibugyo Ebola Crisis in DRC: 600+ Suspected Cases, Regional Threats, and Urgent Gaps in Response
Overview
The Democratic Republic of the Congo is facing a rapidly spreading Ebola outbreak caused by the Bundibugyo ebolavirus. The crisis escalated after the virus spread undetected for weeks in conflict-affected regions, with the first known case involving a nurse on April 24. Aid agencies are intensifying efforts as the outbreak gains momentum, and urgent supplies are needed. The World Health Organization has declared a public health emergency of international concern, though it does not consider the situation a pandemic. Local communities, especially in Bunia, are experiencing high numbers of deaths and confusion about the disease, highlighting the urgent need for clear communication and coordinated response.