At least 15 people have died following a fresh outbreak of the Ebola virus in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), the country’s health ministry confirmed on Thursday.
The outbreak was detected in central Kasai province, where 28 suspected cases have so far been recorded. Officials said laboratory tests confirmed the presence of the deadly Zaire strain of the virus after a 34-year-old pregnant woman was admitted to hospital on August 20 with high fever and persistent vomiting. She died hours later from multiple organ failure.
Among the fatalities are four health workers, raising concern about the safety of frontline responders.
The World Health Organization (WHO) has warned that the number of infections could rise as human-to-human transmission is ongoing. In a statement, the health body said it is dispatching two tons of emergency supplies — including mobile laboratory equipment and medical materials — to strengthen response efforts.
“Response teams and local teams will work to find the people who may be infected and need to receive care, to ensure everyone is protected as quickly as possible,” the WHO said.
The organization also confirmed that Congo has access to a stockpile of treatments, including 2,000 doses of the Ervebo vaccine, which has proven effective against this strain of Ebola.
Ebola, a highly contagious and often fatal disease believed to have originated in fruit bats, was first discovered in 1976 near the Ebola River in the DRC. It spreads through direct contact with the bodily fluids of infected persons.
The country’s last outbreak occurred three years ago, resulting in six deaths, while a major epidemic between 2018 and 2020 claimed more than 2,000 lives.