At least 80 people have died following a fresh outbreak of the Ebola virus in parts of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, prompting heightened concern across Africa as health authorities warned the scale of infections could be significantly underreported.
According to the World Health Organization, the outbreak has affected at least three health zones — Bunia, Rwampara and Mongbwalu — and may already be wider than current figures suggest because of the high positivity rate among initial samples and a growing number of suspected cases.
The outbreak marks the 17th recorded Ebola epidemic in the DRC since the virus was first identified in the country in 1976.
The WHO described the latest outbreak as “extraordinary”, noting that unlike the more common Ebola-Zaire strain, there are currently no approved therapeutics or vaccines specifically targeting the Bundibugyo strain believed to be responsible for the infections.
All but one of the DRC’s previous Ebola outbreaks were linked to the Zaire variant.
The country’s vast tropical forests are considered a natural reservoir for the virus, which spreads through direct contact with bodily fluids of infected persons, contaminated materials or the bodies of victims who have died from the disease.
Jean Kaseya, director general of the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention, said he had requested technical guidance on whether the outbreak should be declared “a public health emergency of continental security”.
Ebola is a severe and often fatal disease that causes fever, vomiting, diarrhoea, muscle pain and, in severe cases, internal and external bleeding.
Reacting to the outbreak, the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention said it had intensified surveillance and preparedness measures amid concerns over increasing regional travel across African countries.
In a statement issued on Sunday, the agency’s director general, Jide Idris, said Nigerian authorities were working closely with the Port Health Services under the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare to strengthen monitoring and emergency response systems.
“NCDC is closely monitoring the situation and working with relevant stakeholders, including the Port Health Services, to ensure continued vigilance and preparedness within the public health system,” Idris said.
He described Ebola virus disease as a severe viral illness transmitted through direct contact with infected blood, bodily fluids, secretions and contaminated materials.
According to Idris, the disease has an incubation period of between two and 21 days, with symptoms including fever, weakness, headache, sore throat, vomiting and diarrhoea.
The NCDC said it had continued to maintain nationwide surveillance systems for Ebola and other epidemic-prone diseases while strengthening risk communication and public awareness campaigns.
Health authorities urged Nigerians to remain calm and avoid spreading misinformation, advising the public to maintain proper hand hygiene, avoid contact with bodily fluids of sick persons and refrain from handling dead animals or bushmeat from unknown sources.
Healthcare workers were also advised to maintain a high level of suspicion for Ebola in patients presenting symptoms consistent with the disease, particularly where there was a relevant travel or exposure history.
The agency stressed the importance of early isolation of suspected cases, proper use of personal protective equipment and strict adherence to infection prevention protocols.
Nigeria earned international recognition in 2014 after successfully containing an Ebola outbreak that began when an infected traveller arrived in Lagos from Liberia.
The outbreak was halted within months through aggressive contact tracing, rapid emergency response measures and coordinated public health interventions — an experience that led to significant investment in Nigeria’s disease surveillance and epidemic response systems.
