Congo’s fast-moving Ebola outbreak spreads to eighth province

The Ebola outbreak in Congo has expanded to an eighth province in the north, authorities announced on Sunday. The Health Ministry has documented two cases in Nord-Ubangi province, both involving males in their twenties from the Wapinda health zone. This zone shares a border with Bas-Uele province, a region where Ebola cases were previously reported. The outbreak, declared in mid-May, has resulted in a staggering 9,400 confirmed cases and over 4,500 deaths, making it the most lethal outbreak in Congo's history.

The virus has crossed borders, reaching neighboring Uganda, which has since declared itself Ebola-free. Kenya reported its seventh case on Saturday. Central African Republic has not recorded any confirmed instances of the disease. Eastern Congo's Ituri province continues to be the epicenter of the outbreak, responsible for nearly three-quarters of all confirmed cases.

According to the World Health Organization's Regional Director for Africa, Mohamed Yakub Janabi, the challenge lies in convincing infected individuals to seek medical help, as some fatalities transpire in communities outside of health centers. Nord-Ubangi is situated between Sud-Ubangi and Bas-Uele, the provinces the disease has previously infiltrated along the border with the Central African Republic.

Recurrent armed violence in the region has led to thousands of displaced persons, forcing them into Congolese border communities where access can be hindered by poor road conditions and limited communication networks.