Ebola Epidemic Declared in DR Congo's Ituri Province, Four Dead

Health authorities have declared an Ebola epidemic in the Ituri province of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), a region heavily impacted by ongoing armed conflicts. The announcement was made by the African Union health agency, specifically the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC). Laboratory tests have confirmed four deaths directly linked to the Ebola virus. Additionally, the country has recorded 246 suspected cases, resulting in 65 fatalities in total, though not all suspected cases have been laboratory-confirmed. The confirmation comes after 13 out of 20 samples analyzed in the capital, Kinshasa, tested positive for the virus. This outbreak follows a previous incident in central DRC declared in August 2025, which caused at least 34 deaths before being eradicated in December. Ebola is a highly contagious hemorrhagic fever transmitted through bodily fluids, with symptoms including fever, vomiting, and hemorrhages. The virus has historically caused significant mortality in Africa, with the 2018-2020 outbreak in Congo leaving 2,300 dead. Health workers are currently responding to the crisis in a challenging security environment.