UMVA EXCLUSIVE: A harrowing Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) is unfolding in the eastern Ituri province, with authorities scrambling to contain the disease as health workers rush to boost screening and contact tracing measures.
In a nail-biting situation, residents of Bunia, the capital city of Ituri, are living in fear for their lives amidst frequent burials.
"Every day, people are passing away," shares Jean Marc Asimwe, a local Bunia resident. "We bury two, three or even more individuals per day."
Dr. Samuel-Roger Kamba, the Congolese Health Minister, announced late Friday that there are eight laboratory-confirmed cases, with four fatalities.
It is revealed that this outbreak is caused by the Bundibugyo virus, which is a variation of the Ebola virus and has been slightly less noticeable in Congo's previous outbreaks.
The DRC has experienced 17 outbreaks of Ebola since 1976, marking the 17th outbreak in the country.
