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BUNIA, DRC — Health officials are racing to contain a growing Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), where at least 363 cases and 62 deaths have been confirmed.
The outbreak has spread to a new health zone in Ituri province, signaling that the virus continues to expand geographically. Neighboring Uganda has also reported 15 cases and one death.
WHO Warns Response Is Still Catching Up
World Health Organization Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said the outbreak had a “big head start,” but international health agencies are increasing efforts to control its spread.
While hundreds of suspected cases were recently ruled out after testing, experts caution that the full scope of the outbreak remains unclear. Ebola’s incubation period can last up to 21 days, meaning additional cases may still emerge.
Contact Tracing Remains a Major Challenge
Health officials say one of the biggest obstacles is contact tracing. Currently, only about 44% of identified contacts are being monitored in the hardest-hit areas, well below the roughly 90% target needed to effectively contain the virus.
Public health experts also cite limited resources, population movement, remote locations, and community mistrust as barriers to tracking potential infections.
Despite the challenges, health authorities say surveillance and response efforts are expanding as they work to prevent further spread of the deadly disease.
For more on this story, stay tuned to Que Onda Magazine.