Ebola Outbreak: Understanding the rare Bundibugyo strain behind the crisis

WHO has declared an international public health emergency after the Bundibugyo Ebola outbreak spread across eastern Congo and into Uganda. The move is meant to sharpen surveillance and support as rising cases, fear and insecurity hamper containment.

In Short

• Suspected cases jumped from 246 to 336 within a day
• Residents in Bunia report panic as funerals take place almost daily
• Officials traced the outbreak to Mongwalu, an eastern Congo mining zone

The World Health Organisation (WHO) has declared an international public health emergency after a deadly outbreak of a rare strain of Ebola virus spread across parts of the Democratic Republic of Congo and neighbouring Uganda.

The announcement comes as health officials struggle to contain the rapidly growing outbreak, which has already claimed at least 87 lives and infected hundreds of people.

The outbreak involves the Bundibugyo strain of Ebola, a less common but dangerous variant of the virus that causes severe bleeding and fever and spreads through direct contact with infected bodily fluids.

According to officials, the virus is actively spreading within communities in Congo’s eastern Ituri province, raising fears of wider transmission.

Although the WHO declared the outbreak a “Public Health Emergency of International Concern” (PHEIC), the organisation clarified that the situation does not currently meet the criteria to be classified as a pandemic.

The declaration is meant to alert countries and health systems around the world to increase surveillance, preparedness, and support efforts to stop the outbreak before it spreads further.

DEATH TOLL CONTINUES TO RISE

Health authorities said the number of suspected Ebola cases and deaths had increased sharply within days.

Officials first announced the outbreak with:

• 65 deaths
• 246 suspected cases

However, by the following day, the situation worsened significantly:

Health experts believe the actual number of infections could be higher because many people remain within local communities and have not yet been tested.

FEAR IS GROWING AMONG RESIDENTS

Residents of Bunia, the capital of Ituri province, say fear and panic are spreading as more deaths are reported daily.

Many local people remain uncertain about the disease, while hospitals and health workers are struggling to manage the growing number of suspected cases.

According to residents, funerals are taking place almost every day as families continue losing loved ones to the infection.

OUTBREAK STARTED IN A MINING AREA

According to the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC), the outbreak began in the Mongwalu health zone, a busy mining region in eastern Congo.

Health officials said infected patients later travelled to nearby areas, including Rwampara and Bunia, while seeking medical treatment. This movement allowed the virus to spread across multiple health zones.

Authorities have expressed concern that many infected people are still moving within communities, making contact tracing and isolation more difficult.

VIOLENCE COMPLICATING EBOLA RESPONSE

The Ebola response has also become more challenging because of ongoing violence in the Ituri region.

Armed militant groups continue to operate in eastern Congo, and attacks in the area are affecting surveillance efforts, emergency medical response, and the movement of healthcare workers.

Health officials say insecurity is slowing down efforts to identify infected people, trace contacts, and contain the outbreak quickly.

WHAT IS THE BUNDIBUGYO STRAIN OF EBOLA?

The Bundibugyo strain is one of several known types of Ebola virus. It is rarer than the Zaire strain, which caused some of the world’s deadliest Ebola outbreaks in the past.

Ebola is a severe and often deadly viral disease that spreads through:

• Blood
• Vomit
• Saliva
• Sweat
• Semen
• Other bodily fluids of infected people

Symptoms usually include:

• Fever
• Severe weakness
• Vomiting
• Diarrhoea
• Muscle pain
• Internal and external bleeding in severe cases

The disease can spread rapidly if infected patients are not isolated quickly.

CONGO HAS FACED MULTIPLE EBOLA OUTBREAKS

This is the Democratic Republic of Congo’s 17th Ebola outbreak since the virus was first discovered in the country in 1976.

The country has experienced several deadly Ebola waves over the decades because of challenges such as weak healthcare infrastructure, remote communities, conflict zones, and limited medical access.

Health experts say early detection, rapid isolation, public awareness, and vaccination strategies remain critical in controlling outbreaks.

WHO CALLS FOR GLOBAL SUPPORT

The WHO’s emergency declaration is expected to increase international funding, medical support, and emergency response efforts in affected regions.

Global health authorities are now working closely with Congo and Uganda to:

• Increase testing capacity
• Strengthen border screening
• Improve contact tracing
• Support treatment centres
• Educate local communities about prevention measures

Experts say quick action will be necessary to prevent the outbreak from spreading further across Africa or internationally.

While the WHO has not declared the outbreak a pandemic, health officials continue to monitor the situation closely as the number of infections and deaths rises.

- Ends