Africa-Press. The Congolese Health Minister Samuel Roger Kamba Mulamba stated that the new strain of the Ebola virus spreading in the Democratic Republic of the Congo is “very deadly and there is no specific vaccine or treatment to contain it.”
On Friday, the Ministry of Health in the Democratic Republic of the Congo reported 80 deaths in the Ituri region of eastern the country due to a new outbreak of the Ebola virus, noting that 246 suspected cases have been recorded so far.
The health minister mentioned in a statement that tested samples confirmed 8 cases of the Bundibugyo strain of the Ebola virus in the health areas of Ruambara, Mongwalu, and Bunia.
Mulamba pointed out that the initial symptoms in those infected with this mutated strain often consist of mild fever, making early detection difficult.
This current outbreak is the seventeenth occurrence of the disease in the Democratic Republic of the Congo since Ebola first emerged in the country in 1976.
On another note, the African Centers for Disease Control and Prevention – the highest public health authority in Africa – announced the outbreak of the new variant of the epidemic in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
It stated that it will hold an emergency meeting with the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Uganda, South Sudan, and global partners to enhance cross-border surveillance efforts and preparedness to respond to the care of patients.
The last outbreak of the Ebola virus in the Democratic Republic of the Congo occurred in August 2025, resulting in at least 34 deaths before it was eradicated in December of the same year.
Approximately 2,300 people died in the deadliest outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo between 2018 and 2020.
Ebola first appeared in 1976 and is a deadly viral disease that spreads through direct contact with body fluids. It is believed to have been transmitted to humans from bats. The virus can cause severe bleeding and organ failure.
The highly infectious virus has resulted in the deaths of around 15,000 people in Africa over the past fifty years, despite advancements in vaccines and treatments.
