Ebola: Africa CDC mourns as DRC doctor dies from virus

The Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) has mourned the death of a doctor, Marie-France Shogogo, in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) who contracted Ebola.

Africa CDC Director-General, Jean Kaseya, disclosed the death of Ms Shogogo in a post on X on Thursday.

“I met Dr Marie-France Shogogo during my visit to #Beni. A young doctor, she had chosen to dedicate her life to saving the lives of others,” Mr Kaseya said.

He described the continued loss of young health professionals working to save others as “deeply painful and outrageous.”

“We must protect those who protect us. We owe it to the memory of Dr Shogogo, to her family, and to all frontline health workers,” he said.

A DRC journalist, Nickson Manzekele, also reported on X that Ms Shogogo died on Wednesday, 28 October, at an Ebola treatment centre in Beni after contracting the virus.

Mr Kaseya said Ms Shogogo’s death should reinforce the urgency of ending the outbreak.

“We must do everything in our power to end this epidemic,” he said, adding that the loss of health workers was a painful reminder of the risks faced by those responding to the outbreak.

The doctor’s death comes as Ebola transmission remains intense in the DRC, where the outbreak was first declared in May.

The latest World Health Organisation (WHO) data show that the DRC had recorded 10,193 confirmed cases and 4,960 confirmed deaths as of 27 October. The confirmed case fatality rate stands at about 49 per cent.

The outbreak has spread across 66 health zones in eight provinces, with Ituri remaining the epicentre. North Kivu, where Beni is located, is the second most affected province.

WHO said the high proportion of deaths occurring in communities continues to point to challenges with early detection and timely access to appropriate care.

The virus has also crossed DRC’s borders.

Kenya has recorded nine confirmed cases, including two deaths, according to WHO’s latest figures. Nigeria has recorded one imported case, while Uganda previously reported 20 confirmed cases and two deaths. France also recorded one imported case, which was discharged.

The outbreak is caused by the Bundibugyo virus, one of the species of virus that causes Ebola disease.

WHO has described the risk in DRC as very high and the risk to countries sharing land borders with the country as high, while urging countries in the region to strengthen surveillance, laboratory capacity, rapid response and cross-border preparedness.