In a distressing development, Congo is grappling with an outbreak of a rare Ebola virus variant that currently lacks approved vaccines or treatments. A U.S. physician has been identified among the recent cases in this health crisis, according to a Congolese official’s statement on Monday. The situation has already claimed over 100 lives across two provinces, shedding light on a delayed governmental response to the epidemic.
Dr. Jean-Jacques Muyembe, who oversees the Congolese National Institute of Bio-Medical Research, disclosed to The Associated Press that the American doctor is among those affected in Bunia, the capital city of Ituri province.
In response to the escalating situation, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared the outbreak a public health emergency of international concern on Sunday. By Monday, the number of suspected cases had surpassed 300, with 118 fatalities recorded in the provinces of Ituri and North Kivu, alongside two additional deaths reported in neighboring Uganda.
The Bundibugyo strain of the virus had been spreading undetected for several weeks, according to reports from health experts and aid workers. Confirmed cases have now emerged in multiple locations, including Bunia, Goma—the rebel-controlled capital of North Kivu—as well as Mongbwalu, Butembo, and Nyakunde.
“We initially tested for the incorrect Ebola strain, resulting in false negatives and a significant loss of valuable response time,” explained Matthew M. Kavanagh, director of the Georgetown University Center for Global Health Policy and Politics. “This has left us in a race to combat a perilous pathogen.”
Kavanagh also expressed criticism towards the previous U.S. administration’s decision to withdraw from the WHO and implement substantial cuts to foreign aid. He warned, “By pulling billions from the WHO and dismantling key USAID programs, we’ve weakened the very surveillance systems designed to detect such viruses early on.”
Congo’s health minister, Samuel Roger Kamba, said the government was opening three treatment centers. The WHO said it sent a team of experts and supplies.
