Health officials are raising fresh concerns that the ongoing Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) may be spreading far more rapidly than initially believed, with new evidence pointing to wider transmission across provinces and neighbouring countries.
The World Health Organization (WHO) has warned that the epidemic, caused by the rare Bundibugyo strain of the Ebola virus, could already be significantly larger than official figures suggest.
According to WHO officials, the outbreak has so far killed at least 131 people in the DRC, while more than 513 suspected cases have been recorded. Uganda has also confirmed a fatal case linked to the outbreak, heightening fears of regional spread.
Dr. Anne Ancia of the WHO told the BBC that ongoing investigations were revealing a more extensive transmission pattern than previously understood.
“The more we are investigating this outbreak, the more we realise that it has already disseminated at least a little bit across borders and also in other provinces,” she said.
Researchers from the London-based MRC Centre for Global Infectious Disease Analysis have suggested the outbreak may have been substantially under-detected, warning that actual infections could already exceed 1,000 cases.
The outbreak was first officially detected on April 24 in the conflict-affected Ituri Province in northeastern DRC, but health experts now believe the virus may have been circulating for several weeks before authorities identified it.
Residents in affected communities say fear is growing as deaths rise rapidly.
“Ebola has tortured us,” one resident identified as Bigboy told the BBC, adding that infected people were dying “very fast.”
Locals said many families were attempting to protect themselves through handwashing and basic hygiene measures, though shortages of protective equipment such as face masks remain a concern.
The WHO has expressed particular concern about the security situation in eastern Congo, where armed conflict, displacement, and population movements are complicating efforts to contain the disease.
The virus has now spread to South Kivu Province and has also been detected in Goma, eastern Congo’s largest city, raising fears of wider urban transmission.
Health officials say insecurity in affected areas is making surveillance, contact tracing, and medical response operations extremely difficult.
WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus recently declared the outbreak a Public Health Emergency of International Concern, citing concerns over the speed and scale of the epidemic.
There is currently no approved vaccine specifically for the Bundibugyo strain, although health experts say early supportive treatment significantly improves survival rates.
Several African countries have already intensified border screening measures and emergency preparedness efforts. Rwanda has temporarily closed its border with the DRC, while Ugandan authorities have advised the public to avoid handshakes and close physical contact.
The United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is also evacuating several American citizens believed to have been exposed to the virus in the DRC.
Ebola is a severe viral disease transmitted through direct contact with infected bodily fluids such as blood, vomit, and sweat. Symptoms include fever, weakness, muscle pain, vomiting, diarrhoea, and, in severe cases, internal and external bleeding.
The Bundibugyo strain is considered rare and has previously caused only two known outbreaks since it was first identified.
Public health officials continue to urge residents in affected areas to report symptoms early, avoid physical contact with suspected cases, and follow hygiene protocols as efforts intensify to prevent a wider regional health crisis.
