Panic as Ebola strikes again, kills 65

African health authorities on Friday confirmed a new Ebola outbreak in the Ituri Province of the Democratic Republic of Congo, with 65 deaths and 246 suspected cases reported.

African health authorities confirmed on Friday, May 15, 2026, that a deadly Ebola virus outbreak has emerged in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), claiming at least 65 lives. The Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) reported that the outbreak is centered in Ituri Province, specifically within the Mongwalu and Rwampara health zones, where 246 suspected cases have been identified. Among these, four deaths have occurred in laboratory-confirmed patients. Preliminary sequencing by the Institut National de Recherche Biomédicale (INRB) has detected the virus in 13 of 20 tested samples, with early indicators suggesting the presence of a non-Zaire strain of the ebolavirus.

In response to the escalating crisis, the Africa CDC has convened an urgent high-level coordination meeting involving health officials from the DRC, Uganda, and South Sudan, alongside global partners such as the World Health Organization (WHO) and UNICEF. Authorities are particularly concerned about the potential for rapid transmission due to the urban nature of the affected areas and intense population movement linked to the region’s mining industry. “Africa CDC is closely monitoring the situation and convening an urgent high-level coordination meeting today with the DRC, Uganda, South Sudan and global partners to reinforce cross-border surveillance, preparedness and outbreak response efforts,” the agency stated in an official release.

Ebola remains one of the most lethal viral threats on the continent, characterized by severe internal bleeding and organ failure. First identified in 1976, the virus has claimed approximately 15,000 lives across Africa over the last half-century, with the DRC’s most devastating outbreak between 2018 and 2020 resulting in nearly 2,300 deaths. As sequencing continues to characterize the current strain, health workers are prioritizing contact tracing and infection control in a region already destabilized by ongoing insecurity. H.E. Dr. Jean Kaseya, Director General of Africa CDC, emphasized the need for swift action: “Given the high population movement between affected areas and neighbouring countries, rapid regional coordination is essential.”

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