A new Ebola epidemic in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) began at least four months before it was officially declared. According to a new study supported by the World Health Organization (WHO), the virus was already spreading as early as January in the gold-mining town of Mongbwalu, located in Ituri Province.
Between January and mid-May — prior to the official confirmation of the virus — more than 500 suspected Ebola cases were recorded in the town. The disease claimed entire families, killed 13 healthcare workers, and left local cemeteries overwhelmed by the influx of the deceased.
Locals attributed the symptoms to AIDS, tuberculosis, and the severe working conditions in the mines, while private clinics concealed cases out of fear of fines and closure. The delay in raising the alarm severely complicated containment efforts, ultimately turning it into the second-largest outbreak in history — with over 3,360 infected and more than 1,480 dead.
Scientists and epidemiologists estimate that had the infection been identified and localized in Mongbwalu in a timely manner, preventing the virus from spreading to neighboring regions and halting a large-scale crisis would have been significantly easier.
