The eastern region of the Democratic Republic of Congo has recorded its first confirmed Ebola case in South Kivu province, an area currently controlled by the Rwanda-backed M23 rebel group.
The confirmation was made on Thursday by the spokesperson of the M23 militia, who disclosed that laboratory tests verified a positive case in Bukavu, the provincial capital of South Kivu.
According to the spokesperson, the infected individual reportedly travelled from Kisangani, a major city in Tshopo province in eastern DRC, where no cases linked to the current Ebola outbreak had previously been identified.
“We confirm a new positive Ebola case in Bukavu,” the M23 spokesperson said, adding that the patient had arrived from Kisangani.
The development comes amid growing concerns over the management of the outbreak in a region already grappling with prolonged insecurity and armed conflict.
Health authorities have faced challenges containing the spread of the deadly haemorrhagic disease due to ongoing clashes between Congolese government forces and the M23 rebels, who have taken control of parts of the mineral-rich eastern region with support from Rwanda.
Since capturing Bukavu in February 2025, the M23 group has reportedly established a parallel administrative structure in territories under its control, raising concerns about its preparedness to respond to a serious public health crisis such as Ebola.
The World Health Organization has classified Ebola as an international health emergency due to the severe threat posed by recurring outbreaks. Over the past five decades, the disease has claimed more than 15,000 lives across Africa.
The latest case has heightened fears of a wider spread, especially in conflict-affected communities where healthcare access and emergency response mechanisms remain fragile.
