Epidemiological update: Concurrent outbreak of Ebola virus disease in the Democratic Republic of the Congo
On 24 August 2014, an outbreak of Ebola virus disease (EVD) was declared in the Boende health zone of Equateur province in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. This outbreak is the seventh outbreak of EVD occurring in the country. Between 28 July and 4 September 2014, 72 cases of EVD, including 48 deaths, have been identified.
On 24 August 2014, an outbreak of Ebola virus disease (EVD) was declared in the Boende health zone of Equateur province in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). This outbreak is the seventh outbreak of EVD occurring in the country.
Between 28 July and 4 September 2014, 72 cases of EVD, including 48 deaths, have been identified. Among these, seven are health care workers, six of whom have died. The first reported case was a woman from Ikanamongo village who butchered a bush animal hunted by her husband. She fell ill with symptoms of EVD and died on 11 August at a private clinic in Isaka Village. The index case and the contacts identified have no history of travel to the EVD-affected countries in West Africa.
This outbreak is caused by a Zaïre ebolavirus strain closely related to virus strains previously circulating in the country and distinct from the Zaïre ebolavirus strain circulating in West Africa. The outbreak in DRC is unrelated to the ongoing outbreak in West Africa and is the result of an independent zoonotic introduction in the affected area.
On the 9 September ECDC published a Rapid Risk Assessment for the outbreak of EVD in Equateur province, Democratic Republic of Congo. One conclusion was that the affected area being remote and not a tourist destination, it is unlikely that travellers from the EU will be exposed and become infected in the outbreak area. It is also unlikely that people residing in the outbreak area will travel to the EU while incubating the virus and develop the disease upon arrival.
Read more: ECDC EVD case definition
