The World Health Organization said Wednesday that nearly 1,000 suspected Ebola cases and about 220 deaths have been recorded in the Democratic Republic of Congo amid a worsening outbreak of the Bundibugyo strain of the virus.
WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said the outbreak in Ituri province was spreading under difficult conditions marked by insecurity, attacks on health facilities and population displacement, making it difficult to trace contacts and isolate infected persons.
“We cannot build community trust or isolate the sick while bombs are falling,” Tedros said.
The Bundibugyo strain of Ebola, first identified in Uganda in 2007, currently has no approved vaccine or treatment.
The outbreak, initially concentrated in Ituri province, has spread across 11 health zones, with cases also reported in North Kivu, including Butembo and Goma, and in South Kivu, according to the United Nations Children’s Fund.
Health officials said the virus is spreading through family clusters, healthcare facilities and unsafe funeral practices.
Meanwhile, the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention warned Nigerians against relying on unverified remedies such as bitter kola, salt water, herbs and seasoning cubes to prevent or treat Ebola.
In a public advisory titled “Ebola Virus Disease: Myths vs Facts,” the agency cautioned that misinformation circulating online could worsen panic and undermine public health response efforts.
Although Nigeria has not recorded any recent confirmed Ebola case, the NCDC said the country remained on alert because of increased cross-border movement and international travel linked to affected countries.
“There is presently no approved home remedy for EVD,” the agency said. “Early reporting, supportive medical care, and strict infection prevention and control measures are critical.”
The NCDC also urged Nigerians to avoid self-medication and seek medical attention immediately if symptoms develop.
NCDC Director-General Jide Idris said Nigeria faced a high risk of exposure because of population movement and the difficulty of detecting Ebola symptoms in the early stages.
Uganda, where health officials confirmed seven Ebola cases linked to the outbreak, including infections among two healthcare workers and one death, announced the temporary closure of its border with Congo to curb the spread of the disease.
Uganda’s Ministry of Health said the border closure took immediate effect and that only authorized Ebola response personnel, humanitarian workers, cargo transporters and security personnel would be granted access under strict health screening measures.
Permanent Secretary of Uganda’s Health Ministry Diana Atwine said all individuals arriving from Congo would undergo a mandatory 21-day quarantine supervised by health authorities and district surveillance teams.
She added that routine monitoring of pupils in schools near border communities would also be carried out to strengthen disease surveillance efforts.
