Congo Ebola cases rise to 282 as Brazil investigates two suspected cases – National
About 282 confirmed cases of Ebola have now been reported in the ongoing disease in Congo as authorities in Brazil say they are looking into two suspected cases.
Two patients who recently arrived in Brazil from Uganda and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), where the disease is endemic, showed symptoms such as fever and chills.
The first patient is a Belgian traveler who traveled from Uganda to Rio de Janeiro. The Evandro Chagas National Institute of Infectious Diseases, of the Oswaldo Cruz Foundation (Fiocruz), did the first test, which came back only with malaria. The patient is living alone and the people he was in contact with are being closely monitored, according to health officials.
As soon as the man arrived at the Evandro Chagas Institute, he developed symptoms including “cough, chills and diarrhea,” officials said. He will remain in isolation until a definitive diagnosis is made.
“This step is a precautionary measure, given the patient’s travel history,” Fiocruz said in a press release on Sunday.
The São Paulo Department of Health also reported that a man hospitalized with suspected Ebola virus disease tested positive for meningococcal meningitis, which was confirmed after a PCR blood test.
The suspected case of Ebola is still under investigation and the patient will undergo laboratory tests and genomic analysis, according to the agency.
The suspect, 37, had recently traveled to the DRC, and when he arrived in Brazil, he had a high fever. He was admitted to the Emílio Ribas Institute of Infectious Diseases in São Paulo.
The Ebola outbreak remains concentrated in the eastern province of Ituri, where 264 cases have been recorded, Congo’s Ministry of Health said. Congo has reported more than 1,000 cases of suspected Bundibugyo virus, the current strain of Ebola, for which there is no treatment or vaccine.
According to the Ministry of Health, the major challenges in containing this outbreak include early detection and rapid classification of cases, strict contact tracing, safe and dignified burials and strengthening infection prevention and control in health facilities.
The contact tracing rate so far is 45 percent with 220 suspected cases under investigation, the department said.
5 Ebola recovery as new treatment center opens
Five patients, all health workers, have recovered from a rare type of Ebola virus, said the head of the World Health Organization on Sunday during a visit to Bunia in eastern Congo.
“Four people will be released today and one was released yesterday,” said Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO director-general, at the opening of a new Ebola treatment center in Bunia, the capital of Ituri province.
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“Yes, we are still working on vaccines and treatments but that does not mean that people will not be able to recover from Ebola,” he added.
“Your courage gives hope and your living story that this outbreak can be stopped,” Ghebreyesus told four nurses and a laboratory worker.
Baraka Bulambulu, one of those who recovered, told the Associated Press on Sunday that members of the community who were afraid that he would contract an unknown disease, stayed away from each other while delivering food and medicine.
He said the uncertainty is confusing as he and other patients believe that they may die without knowing what disease they have, although the tests have finally confirmed that it is Ebola.
“Being able to get out of this alive is a source of great joy,” said Bulambulu. “Many people in the same situation died.”
Ezo Étienne, a nurse, said her symptoms started during her rounds in the ward when she suddenly felt dizzy, then started vomiting, severe itching, severe diarrhea and extreme weakness. He was tested seven times before Ebola was confirmed.
His treatment remained limited to treating the symptoms: anti-vomiting medications, fluids to prevent dehydration and pain relievers. “That’s all they could offer,” he said.
The WHO announced on Friday that the patient has recovered from the Bundibugyo virus, which is the current type of Ebola. It was the first confirmed recovery of a Bundibugyo patient during the current outbreak.
The health agency said authorities have reported 291 confirmed cases in Congo and neighboring Uganda, including 43 confirmed deaths since May 31.
Joint statement by the government of the DRC and the WHO
On Sunday, the DRC government and the WHO issued a joint statement, reaffirming their cooperation and shared commitment to protect the health and well-being of the people of Ituri State and the nation as a whole.
This statement was issued when Ghebreyesus visited Congo in Bunia, “which came at a challenging time, as the country is responding to the outbreak of the Ebola disease caused by the Bundibugyo virus,” according to the statement.
“The Ministry of Health reports a rapidly developing situation, with cases and deaths reported in several health centers in Ituri, North Kivu and South Kivu. The government, with the support of WHO and partners, is intensifying surveillance, laboratory tests and patient care to prevent transmission as soon as possible,” the statement said.
“Although the Bundibugyo strain presents additional challenges, including the lack of a licensed vaccine or specific treatment, proven public health measures remain effective in slowing transmission and possible full recovery. The Ministry of Health, WHO and partners are working to rapidly conduct randomized control trials on vaccine and treatment candidates,” the statement continued.
WHO said ongoing challenges still include early detection and classification of cases, contact tracing, safe and dignified burials, strong and regulated health facilities, and strong public awareness.
“The government and WHO are asking all communities to continue to take preventive measures, including regular hand hygiene, early seeking help from health facilities, and sharing accurate information,” the statement said.
“We are very grateful to our international partners for the support that has already been provided in response to operations, and we encourage continued cooperation to control this disease. Cooperation between countries must also ensure that borders remain open, and that entry controls do not prevent the movement of much-needed medical supplies and personnel,” said the DRC government and WHO.
“Together, DRC authorities, WHO, Africa CDC and partners are working to strengthen collaboration, mobilize additional resources, and ensure that life-saving interventions reach affected communities quickly and equitably,” the statement concluded.
A protest outside Kenya’s Ebola detention center for US citizens
Hundreds of young people in the central Kenyan city of Nanyuki protested against the Ebola isolation center for Americans exposed to the virus at the Laikipia Air Base on Monday.
The protest comes two days after the High Court of Kenya suspended the establishment of the facility and the arrival of any foreign patients pending the hearing of a case filed by the Law Society of Kenya and a constitutional watchdog.
Both organizations cited Kenya’s weak health system as the reason why foreign Ebola patients are not being quarantined in the country.
Protesters demonstrate against a proposed Ebola detention center to be established by the United States at Laikipia Air Base in Nanyuki, Kenya, Monday, June 1, 2026.
AP Photo/Andrew Kasuku
Last week, US officials said they planned to send Americans exposed to Ebola while abroad to a new facility in Kenya instead of flying them to the United States.
A quarantine and treatment center being established by the Department of Defense, Health and Human Services will house Ebola patients who need to leave the Democratic Republic of the Congo and receive immediate help, an administration official told the Associated Press.
Kenya has recorded no cases of Ebola, but neighboring Uganda has reported nine and closed its border with Congo.
-via files from the Associated Press
