The Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo has spread to the Alimbongo health zone in North Kivu province, marking the first time cases have been reported in the area, according to a World Health Organization update released on October 8. Four confirmed cases, including two deaths, were recorded in Alimbongo as of October 6. The current transmission is driven by the Bundibugyo virus, a species of Ebola virus that currently lacks approved vaccines or specific treatments, placing heightened reliance on early detection, supportive care, and infection prevention.
Across the DRC, the WHO had recorded 8,728 confirmed cases and 4,205 confirmed deaths as of October 6, with 2,269 people having recovered. The crude case fatality ratio stands at 48.2 percent. Ituri remained the worst-affected province in cumulative cases, while North Kivu is accounting for a growing share of newly confirmed infections. Cases have now been reported across 64 health zones in seven provinces of the DRC.
Cross-Border Transmission and the First Imported Case in Kenya
The risk of cross-border transmission materialized on October 6 when the WHO confirmed Kenya’s first imported case of Bundibugyo virus disease. The patient, a Kenyan citizen residing in the DRC, contracted the illness locally and sought treatment at several health facilities before traveling through Uganda. The individual traveled by road to Kampala and then boarded a flight to Nairobi, arriving on October 3.
Upon arrival, the patient was isolated in a hospital and tested positive for the virus. Despite supportive treatment, the patient died on October 5, according to the WHO. Kenyan authorities identified 28 contacts, including family members and healthcare workers, and initiated tracking efforts for passengers and crew members from the Nairobi flight. Public health measures, including contact tracing and enhanced surveillance, have been deployed in both Kenya and Uganda. On October 8, preliminary laboratory results for a suspected Ebola case in Kenya’s Wajir County returned negative, according to the county governor, easing concerns about a possible second case, although monitoring continued.
Treatment Capacity Strained Under Insecurity and Misinformation
Back within the DRC borders, containment efforts encounter escalating hurdles stemming from constrained healthcare capacity, ongoing insecurity, and challenges in gaining full community collaboration.
Daniel Makasi Levergénois, founder of Watoto Radio, stated that insecurity and misinformation continue to undermine containment work. In Beni and Butembo, both located in North Kivu, rumours and misconceptions have made some residents reluctant to cooperate with response teams.
In an October 5 progress report, the medical aid organization Doctors Without Borders (MSF) indicated that nearly 40 percent of all newly verified nationwide infections were concentrated in North Kivu, marking an increase from 24 percent at August’s close.
As of September 28, MSF noted that 34 percent of confirmed Ebola patients were being treated in non-specialized health facilities. Dedicated treatment centers lack sufficient beds, forcing delays in diagnosis and treatment outside properly equipped facilities.
For weeks, treatment capacity has stretched to its limit,
said Stephanie Hoffmann, coordinator of MSF’s Ebola treatment centre in Butembo. Because there are not enough beds available, we are sometimes forced to refer confirmed Ebola patients elsewhere, despite the significant risk this poses to the wider community. In addition, standards of care in some peripheral facilities do not always meet the requirements for Ebola treatment. This is extremely concerning.
Community Mistrust and Contact Tracing Gaps
Alberto Lusenge, a community leader in Beni, pointed out that early transmission failures in Ituri province, combined with subsequent new cases and attacks on response workers in Beni and Butembo, have heightened public concern. Lusenge warned that persistent mistrust could deter residents from reporting symptoms or engaging with health personnel.
The WHO reported that response teams were following up on 23,741 of the 29,535 identified contacts as of October 4. This 80.4 percent follow-up rate remains below the targeted threshold of at least 85 percent. Jean Kaseya, director-general of the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC), emphasized the necessity of stringent contact tracking.
To bring this outbreak under control, we need to know where every contact is, track them and quickly identify anyone showing symptoms before they pass the virus on to their family, their community or across borders,
Kaseya said in a news release. We will only bring this outbreak under control once the last chain of transmission has been broken.
