Link to article in French (machine translated to English) An alert has been issued in the town of Kikwit, capital of Kwilu province, after two deaths with signs suggestive of the Ebola virus were recorded at the Kikwit General Reference Hospital (HGR).
According to information obtained from a local source, the first case involved a motorcycle driver who reportedly experienced discomfort accompanied by vomiting blood, a few minutes after sharing a meal in a cafeteria with his colleagues. He was rushed to the Kikwit Higher Regional Hospital, where he died an hour after being admitted.
According to the same source, the second case is a woman with the same symptoms, taken by her family to HGR Kikwit, where she died shortly after arrival.
However, the latter’s family took the body to an unknown destination, raising fears of risky handling, which could compromise public health if the Ebola virus is confirmed.
Faced with this situation, the security services were mobilized to find the body of this patient who died in suspicious circumstances at HGR Kikwit.
Currently, authorities are awaiting the results of samples taken from the first suspected case.
“The samples from the first case will be sent to the INRB tomorrow. All identified contacts have been asked to stay at home for close monitoring,” the same source said.
An emergency meeting bringing together political, administrative and health authorities and technical and financial partners (TFPs) is scheduled for this Wednesday, September 10, 2025 at 10 a.m., to take stock of the situation.