BUNIA, DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF THE CONGO / RankWire.AI / – The World Health Organization said unknown transmission chains account for 80% of new Ebola cases in eastern Congo. Most patients did not appear on contact lists before testing confirmed their infections. That gap limits early isolation and delays treatment for people who develop symptoms. Health teams often discover new clusters only after patients reach clinics or die in their communities. The outbreak involves Bundibugyo virus, a less common Ebola species.
Congo had recorded 2,011 confirmed cases and 754 deaths through July 13. Ituri province remained the main center, with 1,808 cases and 631 deaths. North Kivu reported 182 cases and 106 deaths. South Kivu, Haut-Uele and Tshopo also recorded infections. Authorities listed 753 patients in isolation and 366 recoveries. Response teams monitored about 67% of identified contacts across the most affected provinces.
Contact tracing helps health workers find exposed people before they spread the virus further. Teams usually monitor each contact for 21 days after the last known exposure. WHO said 92.3% of 430 investigated deaths through July 5 occurred outside hospitals or before admission. Those deaths reduced opportunities for timely testing and isolation. Ebola spreads through direct contact with infected blood or bodily fluids. Contaminated objects can also carry the virus.
Five provinces report confirmed infections
The outbreak had reached 45 health zones across five Congolese provinces. Ituri reported cases in 26 health zones, while North Kivu recorded infections in 11. Haut-Uele registered 14 cases and 13 deaths. Tshopo counted four cases and three deaths. South Kivu reported three cases and one death. The wide geographic spread has increased pressure on laboratories, treatment centers and mobile surveillance teams.
Uganda had confirmed 20 cases and two deaths by July 14. Seventeen patients had recovered, and officials recorded the latest confirmed case on June 21. Fifteen infections involved travel links to Congo. Authorities linked five cases to local transmission events. Ugandan health teams found no documented community spread. Officials also monitored travelers and aid workers who left affected areas during the outbreak.
Testing and clinical response expand
No licensed vaccine or approved treatment specifically targets Bundibugyo virus. Medical teams provide fluids, oxygen, electrolyte replacement and other supportive care. WHO added the first molecular diagnostic test for the virus to its Emergency Use Listing on July 2. Ten laboratories now support testing across the affected region. Their combined capacity exceeds 2,000 tests each day. Researchers also opened a clinical trial involving remdesivir and the antibody treatment MBP134.
Congo’s government, WHO and Africa CDC continue to coordinate surveillance, testing, treatment, safe burials and public outreach. Insecurity, displacement and frequent movement through mining areas have complicated access to some communities. Health worker strikes have also disrupted parts of the response. WHO had received about 40% of its $115 million funding appeal. Officials continue to focus on faster case detection because most new infections remain outside known transmission chains.