The latest Ebola outbreak in Kasai province, located in the southern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), is facing significant challenges due to inadequate infrastructure, including poor roads and limited transport options. This logistical nightmare has severely delayed crucial medical interventions, with samples from the initial case and five other suspected cases taking eight days to reach the National Public Health Laboratory (INRB) in Kinshasa, finally arriving on September 3.
The index case, a pregnant woman, tragically succumbed to the disease on August 25, just five days after seeking medical attention at Bulape General Hospital in Kasai province. She presented with symptoms including high fever, bloody diarrhea, hemorrhage, and extreme weakness. The World Health Organization (WHO) reports that at least 15 individuals, including four healthcare workers, have died in this outbreak.
Current Situation and Challenges
Currently, approximately 28 suspected cases are under investigation in the Bulape health zone, which is situated near the border with Angola. Alarmingly, two healthcare workers who initially treated the index case developed similar symptoms and also died. Unconfirmed reports suggest that a third healthcare worker, a lab technician who had contact with the woman, has also died.
The DRC Health Ministry officially declared an outbreak on September 4 after laboratory tests confirmed the presence of the Zaire strain of Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) from the six samples. These samples were confirmed through GeneXpert and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assays.
“The results obtained from whole genome sequencing suggest that the outbreak is a new zoonotic spillover event and is not directly linked to the 2007 Luebo or 2008/2009 Mweka EVD outbreaks,” according to the WHO.
Response and Historical Context
The DRC’s Ministry of Health, with the support of WHO and other partners, is actively implementing public health response measures to contain the outbreak. The WHO has assessed the national public health risk posed by the current outbreak as high. The Ebola virus is primarily transmitted to humans through close contact with the blood or secretions of infected wildlife and then spreads through human-to-human transmission.
This marks the sixteenth Ebola outbreak in the DRC since the virus was first identified in 1976. The most recent case prior to this outbreak was identified in 2022. Notably, a large outbreak between 2018 and 2020 resulted in nearly 2,300 deaths in the North Kivu and Ituri provinces.
Implications and Future Outlook
The ongoing challenges in addressing the Ebola outbreak in Kasai underscore the critical need for improved infrastructure and healthcare systems in the DRC. The delays in sample transportation highlight the vulnerability of remote areas in responding to fast-spreading infectious diseases. As the global health community watches closely, the response to this outbreak could inform future strategies for managing similar crises.
Efforts to combat the infodemic in health information and support health policy reporting from the global South are crucial. A growing network of journalists in Africa, Asia, Geneva, and New York is working to connect regional realities with global debates, providing evidence-based, open-access news and analysis.
Image Credits: UN Photo/Martine Perret.
