The Ebola outbreak in eastern Congo has rapidly expanded to a seventh province, Sud-Ubangi, marking the first confirmed case in western Congo and fueling concerns about its potential to spread to neighboring nations. Laboratory tests confirmed the presence of the Bundibugyo virus, the specific strain responsible for the current outbreak, in a sample from the Bulu health district in Sud-Ubangi, according to a statement released Thursday by the province's governor, Jean-Rene Galekwa Vundawe.
This geographical expansion is particularly worrisome as Sud-Ubangi is situated far west from the initial outbreak sites. While a case was detected in the capital, Kinshasa, in May involving an individual who had traveled from eastern Congo, the city was not classified as an affected province. As of Wednesday, official figures indicate 6,942 cases and 3,349 deaths have been reported.
The World Health Organization (WHO) has described the outbreak as remaining out of control and projects it could surpass the severity of the 2014-2016 West Africa Ebola outbreak, which resulted in over 11,000 fatalities. Recent data shows a decline in new cases and deaths in Ituri province, the outbreak's epicenter, but a sharp increase in neighboring North Kivu and Haut-Uele provinces.
The outbreak's spread is complicated by challenging conditions, including insecurity, population displacement, a strike among health workers, and significant population movements. Displacement sites are especially concerning, as residents already face precarious living conditions.
Sud-Ubangi province borders the Central African Republic but does not share a border with the six eastern provinces previously affected: Ituri, North Kivu, South Kivu, Haut-Uele, Tshopo, and Bas-Uele. The WHO has identified a risk of the outbreak spreading to the Central African Republic and South Sudan, which share borders with affected provinces. Uganda, which had reported 20 cases since May, declared itself free of Ebola in July.
In an effort to combat the spread, Congo initiated vaccinations for healthcare and frontline workers last month using the Ervebo vaccine, which proved effective in past outbreaks caused by a different Ebola strain. Clinical trials are currently underway to develop a licensed vaccine specifically for the Bundibugyo virus. These trials have begun in the eastern provinces of Tshopo, Haut-Uele, and Bas-Uele, with vaccinations in Ituri slated to commence next week, according to Placide Mbala Kingebeni, Africa CDC’s director for research, clinical trials, and innovation.