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Situation Report of the 17th Ebola Virus Disease Outbreak / DRC - SitRep No. 009/MVB_24/2026
° Cumulative Confirmed Cases: 101
° Cumulative Deaths Among Confirmed Cases: 10
° Cumulative Suspected Cases: 904
° Cumulative Suspected Deaths: 119
° Occupation Rate Among Suspected Cases: NA
° Occupation Rate Among Confirmed Cases: NA
° Recoveries: 0
I. CONTEXT
-- Ituri Province is located in the northeast of the Democratic Republic of Congo and shares a long border with Uganda and South Sudan.
- For more than two decades, it has faced a chronic humanitarian crisis linked to armed conflict and recurring population displacements.
- It has an estimated population of over 8 million, including more than one million internally displaced persons.
- In September 2018, this province was affected by an Ebola virus disease outbreak that was raging in the neighboring province of North Kivu.
-- The Mongbwalu health zone is one of the 36 health zones in Ituri province.
- Considered the starting point of the epidemic, it is located in the Djugu territory, where several armed groups operate.
- It is situated 70 km from Bunia, the capital of Ituri province, with frequent population movements towards Uganda.
- This area is characterized by several construction sites that attract people from other territories within the province and from neighboring provinces.
II. HISTORICAL BACKGROUND OF THE EPIDEMIC
-- As of May 5, 2026, social media reported a surge in deaths of unknown cause, with nearly 50 deaths already recorded in the Mongbwalu health zone.
- Following confirmation of this alert, the Chief Medical Officer of the Mongbwalu health zone shared the preliminary investigation report on May 9, 2026.
- On May 11, 2026, provincial health authorities held an emergency meeting and decided to deploy rapid response teams to Mongbwalu and Rwampara, which had reported suspected deaths from viral hemorrhagic fever among patients admitted to the Rwampara Evangelical Medical Center, who had been transferred from Mongbwalu.
-- Investigations conducted simultaneously on May 12, 2026, in the Mongbwalu and Rwampara health zones by the Rapid Response Teams of the Ituri Provincial Health Division (DPS) revealed that most of the patients or suspected deaths presented with fever, headaches, vomiting, and severe physical asthenia.
- Deaths occurred 2 to 3 days after the onset of illness, presenting with hematemesis, epistaxis, or blackish vomit.
- During investigations in the Rwampara health zone, 20 samples were collected from suspected cases or deaths.
- The majority of those sampled came from the Mongbwalu health zone.
- Preliminary tests conducted at the Bunia Laboratory were all negative for Ebola Zaire, dengue, rotavirus, cholera, malaria, Yersinia pestis, medullary tuberculosis, and COVID-19.
- These samples were sent to the National Institute of Biomedical Research (INRB) in Kinshasa for further testing.
-- As of May 14, 2026, 13 of these 20 samples had been tested, and 8 were found to be positive for non-Zaire Ebola virus disease at the INRB Kinshasa.
- On May 15, 2026, sequencing of positive samples identified the Bundibugyo strain, allowing the Minister of Public Health, Hygiene and Social Welfare (MSHPS) to officially declare the 17th Ebola virus disease outbreak.
-- On May 17, 2026, in consultation with member states, the WHO Director-General determined that the event occurring in the DRC and Uganda met the criteria of the definition set forth in Article 1 of the IHR, and declared it a Public Health Emergency of International Concern, while specifying that the risk at the global level was low but high at the regional level.
-- On May 18, 2026, the Executive Director of Africa CDC officially declared a Continental Public Health Security Emergency (CPHSE) under Article 3 of its statutes.
- This declaration followed an emergency meeting of the Africa CDC Advisory Group, which determined that the worsening outbreak posed an acute risk to continental health security.
- As a result, the Continental Incident Management Support Team was activated to provide support to affected and at-risk Member States in their response and preparedness efforts.
III. EPIDEMIOLOGICAL SITUATION UPDATE
° 10 New Confirmed Cases (Mongbwalu: 9 and Katwa: 1)
° Cumulative confirmed cases in Ituri as of May 23, 2026: 94 cases, North Kivu: 6 cases and South Kivu: 1 case
° Three provinces affected: ITURI, NORTH KIVU and SOUTH KIVU:
° ITURI: épicentre avec 7/36 ZS touchées (Rwampara, Bunia, Mongbwalu, Nyankunde, Nizi, Kilo et Aru,)
° NORD-KIVU : 3/35 ZS touchées (Goma, Butembo et Katwa)
° SUD-KIVU : 1/34 ZS touchée (Miti-Murhesa)
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