Ebola Spreads to Eighth DRC Province, Nigeria Confirms New Cases

Ebola responders in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) face mounting pressure as the outbreak expands into an eighth province. The situation has prompted investigators to examine potential risks of the disease spreading beyond the DRC, including to neighboring countries.

Nigeria has confirmed the presence of Ebola disease caused by the Bundibugyo virus, making it the fifth country this year to report cases. This follows previous outbreaks in the DRC, France, Uganda, and Kenya.

The original DRC outbreak, declared in mid-May, has resulted in over 4,600 deaths and 9,552 confirmed infections. Uganda previously reported two deaths and 20 confirmed cases before declaring the Ebola threat over at the end of August.