Ebola Outbreak Declared in DRC’s Kasai Province, 28 Suspected Cases, 15 Deaths
Health authorities in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) have declared a new Ebola outbreak in Kasai Province, with 28 suspected cases and 15 deaths reported so far.
According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), the outbreak is concentrated in the Bulape and Mweka health zones in the south-central region of the country. Samples tested on September 3 at the National Institute of Biomedical Research in Kinshasa confirmed the Ebola Zaire strain as the cause.
To scale up the response, the Ministry of Health, supported by WHO, has deployed an advance team and a national Rapid Response Team. The team is made up of experts in epidemiology, infection prevention and control, case management, and community engagement. Communication specialists are also working with local communities to strengthen awareness on preventive measures.
WHO has delivered two tonnes of essential supplies, including personal protective equipment, mobile laboratory kits, and medical materials. However, access to the affected areas remains difficult as Kasai is a day’s drive from the provincial capital, Tshikapa, with limited air connections.
Health authorities have a stockpile of treatments and 2,000 doses of the Ervebo Ebola vaccine prepositioned in Kinshasa, which will be moved to Kasai to vaccinate frontline health workers and contacts of confirmed cases.
WHO warned that case numbers may rise as transmission is ongoing but expressed confidence in the DRC’s experience in managing outbreaks. The country has recorded 15 Ebola outbreaks since the disease was first identified in 1976. The most recent occurred in Equateur Province in April 2022 and was contained within three months.
Previous Ebola outbreaks were also reported in Kasai Province in 2007 and 2008.
