Health authorities in Africa have confirmed another Ebola outbreak in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, raising fears of a wider regional spread as officials scramble to contain infections near busy border zones and mining communities.
The Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) said confirmed Ebola infections have been detected in Ituri province in northeastern Democratic Republic of Congo.
The agency announced Friday that emergency coordination talks are now being organized with health authorities from the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Uganda and South Sudan alongside international health partners to strengthen border surveillance and response systems.
According to Africa CDC, at least 246 suspected cases and 65 deaths have already been reported, particularly in the Mongwalu and Rwampara health zones, both in Ituri province.
Authorities also confirmed four Ebola-related deaths among laboratory-confirmed patients.
The outbreak has caused serious concern because several affected areas are densely populated and connected to regional trade and mining routes.
Africa CDC warned that the urban environments of Bunia and Rwampara, combined with heavy population movement linked to gold mining activities in Mongwalu, could accelerate transmission if containment measures fail.
Eastern Congo has experienced repeated Ebola outbreaks over the past decade, partly due to weak healthcare systems, armed conflict and difficulties reaching remote communities.
Medical teams now face the challenge of tracing contacts and isolating infected individuals in areas already destabilized by violence involving armed groups.
Public health experts fear the outbreak could spread across borders if rapid surveillance measures are not strengthened.
Uganda, which shares a long and porous border with eastern Congo, has previously experienced imported Ebola cases during earlier outbreaks.
Ebola is one of the world’s deadliest viral diseases and spreads through direct contact with bodily fluids of infected persons, contaminated surfaces or bodies of victims who died from the disease.
Symptoms often include fever, vomiting, bleeding, severe weakness and organ complications.
Although vaccines and treatments now exist for some Ebola strains, outbreaks remain difficult to control in regions affected by insecurity and poor medical infrastructure.
The latest outbreak comes as several African countries continue recovering from previous public health emergencies, including mpox and cholera outbreaks reported earlier this year.
International health agencies are expected to deploy additional support teams and medical supplies to eastern Congo in the coming days as authorities attempt to prevent another major regional health crisis.
