Ebola in Ituri: Two ministers arrive in Bunia to assess response activities

Bunia, June 18^th, 2026 (CPA).- Two members of the central government arrived on Thursday in Bunia, Ituri Province, northeastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), to assess Ebola response activities, one month after the outbreak was officially declared on May 15^th, CPA observed. “We have returned for two reasons. First, we need to assess the response after one month to identify its strengths and weaknesses because, in any human endeavor, there are always areas that can be improved. We are here to review the response and ensure that every necessary resource is mobilized so that it matches the scale of this major epidemic,” said Health Minister Dr. Samuel Roger Kamba. “Secondly, as you know, a new governor has taken office, and we need to meet with him to discuss how we will continue our collaboration in this epidemic context. We had already held extensive discussions with the previous governor, and now we will continue those exchanges with the new provincial authority. That is why we are here,” he added. This mission is the third organized by the Congolese Government within 30 days since the declaration of the outbreak, with the aim of monitoring actions implemented on the ground to halt the spread of the disease. Officially declared on May 15^th, 2026, this 17th Ebola virus disease outbreak in the DRC presents a major challenge as it is caused by the Bundibugyo strain, for which no approved vaccine or treatment currently exists. The epicenter is located in Ituri, particularly in the mining area of Mongbwalu, but the virus has already spread to the neighboring provinces of North Kivu and South Kivu, as well as to Uganda’s capital, Kampala. By mid-June, the official toll had exceeded 650 confirmed cases and more than 130 deaths in the DRC, prompting the World Health Organization (WHO) to declare a Public Health Emergency of International Concern.