China has dispatched a team of medical experts and emergency responders to the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) to assist efforts to contain a rapidly spreading Ebola outbreak that has already claimed dozens of lives and prompted global health concerns.
The deployment was made known by the Chinese Embassy in Nigeria on its verified Facebook page on Tuesday following the World Health Organisation’s declaration of the outbreak as a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC) on May 17.
The expert team departed Beijing and is expected to work alongside Chinese medical personnel already stationed in the Central African nation, as well as local health authorities.
The embassy said the move reflected China’s longstanding commitment to supporting African countries during public health emergencies.
“Having supported Africa through past outbreaks in 2014, 2015 and 2018, China continues its 70-year tradition of standing with African brothers and sisters through thick and thin,” the embassy stated.
According to Chinese authorities, the medical experts have extensive experience in epidemic response and will provide technical support, training, disease prevention measures and treatment guidance. The team will also help strengthen the DRC’s capacity for Ebola surveillance, prevention and control.
LEADERSHIP reports that the latest outbreak, caused by the Bundibugyo strain of the Ebola virus, was first confirmed in mid-May in eastern DRC. Unlike the more common Zaire strain, there is currently no approved vaccine or specific treatment for Bundibugyo Ebola, making containment efforts particularly challenging.
The outbreak is concentrated in the provinces of Ituri, North Kivu and South Kivu, regions already grappling with insecurity, population displacement and limited healthcare infrastructure. Health officials say these conditions have complicated contact tracing, case management and community engagement efforts.
The WHO reported this week that the DRC has recorded 321 confirmed Ebola cases and 48 deaths, while neighbouring Uganda has confirmed 15 cases and one death linked to cross-border transmission. Health authorities continue to investigate more than 100 suspected cases.
WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus recently visited the outbreak epicentre in Bunia, where he called for increased international support and stronger community participation to halt the spread of the disease.
Health experts warned that while some progress has been made in identifying and isolating cases, the outbreak remains a serious threat due to ongoing transmission in conflict-affected areas and the absence of an approved vaccine for the Bundibugyo strain.
