Ebola Outbreak in Congo’s Kasai Province Worsens
KINSHASA, Congo — The number of suspected Ebola cases in southern Kasai province has skyrocketed, more than doubling in just a week, according to Africa’s leading public health agency. The Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported that cases jumped from 28 to 68, with the outbreak spreading from two to four districts. Sadly, the death toll now sits at 16.
Residents are understandably worried about the outbreak, marking the first in Congo in three years and the first for this province in over a decade. Kasai is quite remote, with limited road access and located over 1,000 kilometers from Kinshasa, the nation’s capital.
Dr. Ngashi Ngongo, a top advisor with Africa CDC, mentioned that ongoing fighting in eastern Congo could make it harder to manage the outbreak. “It was just two districts before, and now we’re at four,” Ngongo noted during an online briefing.
The outbreak was confirmed about a week ago when a pregnant woman in Bulapé tested positive. In response, the World Health Organization has deployed experts to work alongside Congo’s Rapid Response Team to enhance disease surveillance, provide treatment, and oversee infection control measures.
Congo has faced multiple Ebola outbreaks since 1976, with this being the 16th overall and the 7th in the Kasai province. A prior outbreak from 2018 to 2020 in eastern Congo resulted in more than 1,000 deaths.
Local officials are taking steps to curb the spread, including restricting public movement and setting up checkpoints at key points in Tshikapa, the provincial capital. Emmanuel Kalonji, a resident of Tshikapa, shared that some villagers have fled the area only to return later. “But with resources being so limited, survival isn’t guaranteed,” he expressed.
In Bulapé, residents are anxious about the outbreak’s impact on daily life, according to Ethienne Makashi, a local official in charge of water and sanitation. Yet, he mentioned a positive sign: “We have one case doing well, which offers some hope for those under care.”
