Health authorities in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), in collaboration with the World Health Organization (WHO), are deepening investigations into a cluster of illness and community deaths in Equateur province.
This follows recent disease surveillance efforts that have identified repeated outbreaks in different parts of the country, prompting further inquiries and response measures.
Since the beginning of 2025, Equateur province has reported multiple cases of unexplained illness and fatalities. The latest cluster emerged in the Basankusu health zone, where 141 new cases were recorded last week, though no deaths have been reported.
However, in February, the same health zone reported 158 cases, including 58 fatalities. In January, Bolamba health zone recorded 12 cases, with eight resulting in death.
In total, authorities have identified 1,096 cases and 60 deaths in Basankusu and Bolomba. The reported symptoms include fever, headache, chills, sweating, stiff neck, muscle and joint pain, nasal bleeding, cough, vomiting, and diarrhea.
The DRC is already grappling with multiple health crises, stretching its healthcare system and resources. In response to the latest outbreak, a national rapid response team—including WHO health emergency experts—has been deployed to Basankusu and Bolomba to investigate potential patterns of transmission.
The team is strengthening disease surveillance, interviewing community members, and providing treatment for suspected illnesses, including malaria, typhoid fever, and meningitis.
WHO has also supplied emergency medical kits and established detailed protocols to enhance disease investigation. Initial laboratory tests have ruled out Ebola and Marburg virus diseases.
However, around half of the tested samples returned positive for malaria, a prevalent disease in the region. Further testing is underway for meningitis, while food, water, and environmental samples will be analyzed to determine potential contamination sources.
The samples will be sent to the national reference laboratory in Kinshasa, as previous test samples were not viable, requiring re-examination.
Basankusu and Bolomba, located about 180 kilometers apart and over 300 kilometers from the provincial capital Mbandaka, are accessible only by road or via the Congo River.
Their remoteness significantly limits healthcare access, including testing and treatment, while poor road and telecommunication infrastructure pose additional challenges.
WHO is assisting local health authorities in strengthening investigation and response efforts. More than 80 community health workers have been trained to detect and report cases promptly.
Further efforts are needed to enhance testing, early case detection, and reporting—not only for this outbreak but for future health threats.
WHO remains on the ground, supporting health workers and collaborating with zonal, provincial, and national authorities to provide lifesaving medical supplies and coordinate response measures to curb the spread of illness in the region.
