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Rare strain of deadly Ebola virus went undetected for weeks in DR Congo | DW News

May 18, 2026 10 min
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Health experts are concerned as an Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo has been spreading undetected for weeks, complicated by regional conflict and a rare virus strain.

The World Health Organization and local authorities are scrambling to contain an Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo's Ituri province, which has already claimed nearly 100 lives. The situation is exacerbated by a rare, vaccine-resistant strain and regional instability, which hampers surveillance and response efforts. Experts warn that the disease has likely been spreading undetected for several weeks, increasing the risk of further cross-border transmission to neighboring countries like Uganda. Health officials are calling for improved surveillance and strict adherence to infection prevention and control protocols to mitigate the crisis.

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Worth watching if: You want to understand the challenges of public health surveillance and disease control in conflict-affected regions.

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