Ebola

The Ministry of Health of the Democratic Republic of the Congo declared an outbreak of Ebola virus disease (EVD) on 8 October 2021 after a laboratory-confirmed case was detected in Butsili Health Area, Beni Health Zone in North Kivu Province. 

Initial findings of full genome sequencing show that the outbreak could be a new flare-up of the EVD outbreak of 2018-2020 in North Kivu/ Ituri, and is not the result of a new zoonosis from an animal reservoir. These results indicate that the new 2021 Butsili EVD cluster is linked to a persistent Ebola virus infection.

The North Kivu Provincial health authorities are leading the current response, with support from WHO and partners. During the previous outbreaks in North Kivu, WHO helped build the capacity of local laboratory technicians, contact tracers, vaccination teams, and reached out to community groups to raise Ebola awareness and engaged them in response interventions, as well as in establishing an Ebola survivor care programme. WHO staff supporting the national response includes a focal point on the prevention of sexual exploitation and abuse.

WHO is also working to raise awareness about the disease’s resurgence and how to recognize symptoms.