The Ebola virus disease (EVD) outbreak in Equateur Province, Democratic Republic of the Congo, continues since its declaration on 1 June 2020 by the Ministry of Health. Since our last situation report on 2 June 2020 (External Situation report 95), four additional confirmed EVD cases and four deaths have been reported. As of 8 June 2020, a total of 12 EVD cases (9 confirmed and 3 probable), including eight deaths (case fatality ratio 66.7%), have been reported from six health areas in three health zones. Of the eight deaths, four occurred in the community. The case fatality ratio among confirmed cases is 55.6% (5 deaths/9 confirmed cases). Two health workers are among the confirmed cases since the start of the outbreak, 18.2% of all cases. Of the four confirmed cases still alive, two are under treatment in the Ebola treatment centre and two are in the community.

The health zones reporting EVD cases are Mbandaka (6 confirmed, 3 probable, 3 deaths), Wangata (2 confirmed, 1 deaths) and Bikoro (1 confirmed and 1 death).

Sequencing of the initial confirmed specimen (swab) conducted at the Institute National de Recherche Biomédicale (INRB), Kinshasa, indicated the Zaire ebolavirus isolated in Equateur Province is not linked to the outbreak in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo. Additional samples have been sent to the INRB for sequencing. Investigations around the origin of this outbreak are ongoing.

As of 8 June 2020, a total of 289 contacts have been identified for follow up, of which 255 (88%) were seen on the reporting day.

In Ituri, North Kivu and South Kivu provinces of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, no new confirmed cases of EVD have been reported from 1 to 8 June 2020. The source of infection of the cluster reported in Beni Health Zone in April 2020 remains unconfirmed.Please click here to download the complete situation report (PDF).