DR Congo Reports New Ebola Outbreak in Southern Kasaï

The Democratic Republic of Congo has declared a new outbreak of the Ebola virus in the southern Kasaï region, with health authorities confirming 28 suspected cases and 15 deaths so far.

According to officials, the first patient was a pregnant woman admitted to a hospital in Bulape in late August with severe bleeding. 

She died a week later, and shortly afterwards, medical staff and lab technicians who had treated her began showing symptoms, Africa News reported.

The National Institute of Public Health declared a health emergency earlier this week as suspected cases continued to rise. 

On Thursday, the Ministry of Health confirmed that the virus is once again spreading in the region.

Local authorities initially reported eight deaths, but the toll quickly increased as more patients developed typical Ebola symptoms, including high fever, vomiting, and severe bleeding during treatment or burial ceremonies.

Ebola is transmitted through direct contact with the bodily fluids of infected individuals. Early symptoms include fever, fatigue, and muscle pain, progressing in severe cases to hemorrhaging and organ failure. Healthcare workers and relatives of patients are among the most vulnerable, with some outbreaks recording fatality rates of around 50%.

This marks the 16th Ebola outbreak in the DRC since the first case was identified in 1976. Previous waves have claimed hundreds of lives, underscoring the recurring threat the virus poses in Central Africa.

Health officials noted that in this latest outbreak, the virus was first detected in a 34-year-old woman admitted to hospital in August with classic symptoms of the disease.