Red Cross Volunteers Among First Confirmed Ebola Victims in DR Congo Outbreak

(MENAFN) Three Red Cross volunteers have died from Ebola in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, marking what is believed to be among the first confirmed fatalities in the current outbreak, according to humanitarian officials.

The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) expressed deep sorrow over the deaths, identifying the volunteers as individuals who had been working in Mongbwalu in Djugu Territory, Ituri province. Reports indicate they died between early and mid-May while carrying out community support duties.

The IFRC said the volunteers are believed to have contracted the virus while handling bodies during humanitarian work, at a time when the Ebola outbreak had not yet been officially identified in the area.

Humanitarian organizations noted that the volunteers were serving local communities when awareness of the outbreak was still limited, making them among the earliest known victims of the current wave of infections.

The Red Cross and partner organizations, including the International Committee of the Red Cross, stated they are continuing to support response efforts and strengthen containment measures in affected regions.

The outbreak, declared in mid-May in Ituri province, has since spread to other parts of eastern Congo, including North Kivu and South Kivu, raising regional concern.

Health authorities and the World Health Organization report hundreds of suspected cases and dozens of confirmed infections, while neighboring Uganda has also recorded imported cases linked to cross-border transmission.

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