DR Congo: Ebola Outbreak - Aug 2022

Health authorities in the Democratic Republic of the Congo declared a resurgence of Ebola late last night, following confirmation of one case in the country’s eastern province of North Kivu. A 46-year-old woman died on 15 August 2022 in Beni, a town located in North Kivu. She received care at the Beni Referral Hospital, initially for other ailments, but subsequently, exhibited symptoms consistent with Ebola virus disease. Both the Beni and Goma branches of the country’s National Institute of Biomedical Research (INRB) confirmed Ebola virus in samples taken from the patient. Analyses showed that the case was genetically linked to the 2018-2020 Ebola outbreak in North Kivu and Ituri Provinces— the country’s longest and largest. (WHO, 23 Aug 2022)

As of 4 September 2022, 181 contacts have been identified of which 79.5 per cent have been followed up. The Ebola Treatment Center (ETC) is not yet functional; however, 23 isolation beds are available (five at the Beni General Hospital and 18 in eight Health Centers). As of 4 September 2022, 200 persons have been vaccinated, including 48 contacts and 131 first line responders. (UNICEF, 8 Sep 2022)

The Democratic Republic of the Congo today declared the end of an Ebola outbreak that re-emerged six weeks ago in the country’s North Kivu Province. (WHO, 27 Sep 2022)