A case of Ebola has been confirmed in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo's South Kivu province, hundreds of kilometers from the outbreak's epicenter. The rebel alliance that controls the area reported the case, in a rural area near the provincial capital Bukavu. The patient, a 28-year-old, had traveled from the northern city of Kisangani but died and has been buried safely.
The outbreak, caused by the Bundibugyo strain for which there is no vaccine, has resulted in 160 suspected deaths out of 670 suspected cases, with 61 confirmed. An Ebola case was also confirmed in Goma, the capital of neighboring North Kivu province, under M23 control. Two cases have been confirmed in Uganda, which announced a suspension of flights to the DRC as a precaution.
The World Health Organization has declared the outbreak a Public Health Emergency of International Concern. First responders expect widespread armed violence across eastern DRC, where dozens of militias operate, and community mistrust of medical workers will complicate containment efforts. In the town of Rwampara, a hotspot in Ituri province, protesters attacked a hospital after the family of a suspected Ebola victim disputed the cause of death.
The U.S. State Department now requires Americans who have been in Congo, Uganda, or South Sudan within the last three weeks to return only through Washington Dulles for enhanced screening. The African Union has postponed the India-Africa Forum Summit scheduled for late May in New Delhi.