In a follow-up on the Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo’s (DRC’s) North Kivu province, DRC health officials say testing by the National Institute of Biomedical Research (INRB) in Kinshasa determined the strain is Ebola Zaire; however it is not linked to the previous Équateur outbreak strain.

Produced by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), under a very-high magnification, this digitally-colorized scanning electron micrograph (SEM) depicts a single filamentous Ebola virus particle that had budded from the surface of a VERO cell of the African green monkey kidney epithelial cell line.
Produced by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), under a very-high magnification, this digitally-colorized scanning electron micrograph (SEM) depicts a single filamentous Ebola virus particle that had budded from the surface of a VERO cell of the African green monkey kidney epithelial cell line.

On 1 August 2018, four of the six blood specimens tested positive for Ebolavirus by GeneXpert automated-polymerase chain reaction (PCR). The Ministry of Health Officially declared the outbreak on 1 August 2018. Further laboratory testing by INRB confirmed Ebolavirus in three of the initial six specimens using conventional PCR. The result of the genetic analysis by INRB confirmed Ebola Zaire strain, but not linked to the Équateur outbreak strain, meaning that we are dealing with a new outbreak.

The DRC Health Ministry reports the latest case update:

  • A total of 43 cases of haemorrhagic fever were reported in the region, of which 16 confirmed and 27 probable.
  • 46 suspected cases are under investigation .
  • 2 deaths of confirmed cases, 1 in Beni and 1 in Mabalako

Six health zones in two provinces have reported confirmed and probable EVD cases, including Mabalako, Beni, Butembo, Oicha, and Musienene health zones in North Kivu Province and Mandina Health Zone in Ituri Province.

The first teams of vaccinators will arrive in Beni today. They will begin by vaccinating primary care providers before vaccinating contacts and contacts contacts.