The Government of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) declared a new outbreak of Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) on 31 May 2020 in Mbandaka, the country’s northwest Équateur Province. The declaration followed notification by the Équateur provincial health authorities of community deaths on 23 and 30 May 2020.
This is the 11th EVD outbreak in the DRC and it has already claimed four lives and infected four other people in the community. The outbreak began at a time when experts were close to declaring an end to the 10th EVD outbreak in North Kivu Province, and when countries are fighting hard to control the COVID-19 pandemic.
The DRC Ministry of Health is currently establishing a coordination and response mechanism to effectively contain the outbreak.
The Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) is closely monitoring the situation while preparing to support response to the outbreak at the national and regional levels. It has briefed the leadership of the African Union Commission about the outbreak and the Commission has pledged its solidarity and support to the DRC in responding to the outbreak.
Africa CDC will redeploy its resources and team of experts supporting response to the 10th EVD outbreak in North Kivu to support response to the new outbreak in Équateur Province.
Africa CDC recognizes the risk that multiple disease outbreaks has on the DRC and is working with the DRC government, the World Health Organization and other partners to strengthen response to both the 10th and 11th EVD outbreaks and the COVID-19 pandemic in the country.
