DR Congo Ebola Outbreak May Have Circulated for Months Undetected

The Democratic Republic of Congo's Ebola outbreak may have been circulating for months before it was officially declared on May 15, with health authorities facing criticism over delays in detection and response.

The first known case was a health worker in Ituri province who developed symptoms in late April, but reports of unexplained deaths in the Mongbwalu area had emerged weeks earlier. Researchers have suggested that transmission may have started as early as February. Genetic analysis cited by the World Health Organization also points to an outbreak beginning around that time.

WHO has warned that delayed detection continues to increase the risk of transmission, particularly in communities affected by insecurity, displacement, overcrowding and poor access to healthcare. As of September 7, WHO reported more than 6,700 confirmed cases in the Democratic Republic of Congo and more than 3,200 deaths there, with cases also reported in Uganda and France.