ALERT: already 80 suspicious deaths in the Democratic Republic of Congo and one death in Uganda, according to health authorities
International Briefing:
Global attention remains focused on this evolving story as officials and analysts assess the broader implications.
A young girl disinfects her hands in front of the Kibuli Muslim Hospital in Kampala, Uganda, May 16, 2026. HAJARAH NALWADDA / AP The ongoing Ebola virus disease epidemic in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) is suspected on Saturday May 16 of already being the cause of 80 deaths, in the vast Central African country of more than 100 million inhabitants, and another in Uganda neighbor. The Africa CDC, the health agency of the African Union (AU) based in Ethiopia, in Addis Ababa, declared a new epidemic due to the Ebola virus in the DRC on Friday. The report then showed 65 deaths probably linked to the virus. At this stage, “246 suspected cases have been reported and 80 deaths,” according to a press release from the Congolese Ministry of Health released during the night from Friday to Saturday. For its part, the Ugandan Ministry of Health reported on Friday evening the death, caused by the virus, of a 59-year-old Congolese man on Thursday in a hospital in the Ugandan capital, Kampala. No “local cases” have been reported so far, however, the ministry stressed. The last episode of this highly contagious hemorrhagic fever, declared in August 2025 in the center of the country and contained in December, caused at least 34 deaths. The deadliest epidemic in the DRC caused nearly 2,300 deaths and 3,500 patients between 2018 and 2020. The virus, which remains formidable despite recent vaccines and treatments, has caused 15,000 deaths in Africa over the last fifty years. During outbreaks in recent years, the mortality rate has fluctuated between 25% and 90%, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). The epidemic appears to be spreading rapidly In the DRC, only a handful of tests have been carried out in the laboratory in Kinshasa at this stage. But according to initial results, with eight confirmed cases of Ebola out of 13 samples, and a high number of suspected cases, the epidemic appears to be spreading rapidly. Read also | In the DRC, the authorities officially announce the end of the latest Ebola epidemic Read later The focus of the epidemic is located in Ituri, a province in the northeast of Congo, bordering Uganda and South Sudan. This gold-producing region experiences intense population movements linked to mining activity on a daily basis. Furthermore, access to certain parts of the province, plagued by violence carried out by a myriad of armed groups, is difficult for security reasons. The Africa CDC warned on Friday morning of a “high risk of spread” of the virus. “The fatality rate is very high, up to 50%” Laboratory analyzes concluded that it is the Bundibugyo strain of the virus. There is no vaccine against this variant. The Zaire strain of the Ebola virus is the only one for which a vaccine has been developed. “The Bundibugyo strain has no vaccine and has no specific treatment,” Congolese Health Minister Samuel-Roger Kamba stressed on Saturday during a press conference in the Congolese capital Kinshasa, adding that “with this strain, the case fatality rate is very high; we can go up to 50%.” Stay informed Follow us on WhatsApp Receive the essential African news on WhatsApp with the “Le Monde Afrique” channel Join “Le Monde Afrique” newsletter Every Saturday, find a week of news and debates, from the editorial staff of “Le Monde Afrique” Subscribe Mr. Kamba is due to hold a press conference in Kinshasa during the day to present the measures put in place to try to stem the epidemic. According to the ministry, patient zero is a nurse, who presented himself on April 24 at a medical facility in Bunia, capital of Ituri, with symptoms corresponding to an Ebola virus infection, such as fever, hemorrhages and vomiting. Several suspected cases have since been recorded in Bunia, whose population is estimated at around 300,000 inhabitants, according to the Africa CDC. But it is the health zones of Mongbwalu and Rwampara, each with nearly 150,000 inhabitants, which are currently the most affected. The Mongbwalu area is located approximately 90 kilometers and two hours drive from Bunia. That of Rwampara is adjacent to the urban area of Bunia. The incubation period can be up to twenty-one days “Given the uncertainties and the seriousness of the disease, the extent of transmission in the affected communities raises concerns”, underlined in a press release on Friday the WHO, which is preparing the sending by plane from Kinshasa of 5 tonnes of equipment, particularly protective equipment. In the DRC, the delivery of medicines and equipment is often a challenge, in a territory four times the size of France, with limited communication routes and in poor condition. This epidemic is the seventeenth in the DRC since the disease was first identified in 1976 in Zaire, the former name of the Democratic Republic of Congo. Other countries on the continent have been affected in recent years by Ebola, notably Guinea and Sierra Leone. Human transmission of the virus occurs through bodily fluids or exposure to the blood of an infected person, living or dead. Infected people only become contagious after symptoms appear, with the incubation period being up to twenty-one days. The World with AFP
International Perspective:
Officials and international observers are expected to continue monitoring the story closely over the coming days.
Observers believe further developments could significantly shape the direction of this story in the near future.
Our editorial team will continue tracking this story as new reports become available.
Source: This article was originally published by International : Toute l’actualité sur Le Monde.fr. and adapted for our international English-speaking audience.
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