China Sends Second Team to Help Tackle Ebola in DR Congo

JAKARTA - The Chinese government has sent an additional team to help handle the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).

"In the early hours of July 3, a second Chinese government medical expert team departed from Beijing for the DRC," Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Guo Jiakun said at a press conference in Beijing, Friday, July 3, reported by ANTARA.

The Ebola case in RDKongo continues to increase to 1,460, including 447 deaths based on data as of July 2, 2026 since the outbreak was announced on May 15, 2026. The first team from China arrived in Kinshasa, the capital of DRC, on June 2, 2026.

"China immediately sent the first medical expert team consisting of five people to the DRC to provide services and guidance in handling Ebola when the outbreak occurred. The team's work has received high praise from all parties," added Guo Jiakun.

Meanwhile, the second team that was sent out consisted of experts in the fields of epidemiology, clinical treatment, and health quarantine.

"Based on the first team's work, this team will continue to strengthen exchanges with the DRC and international organizations and promote scientific and technological cooperation by taking into account local conditions and the needs of the DRC," said Guo Jiakun.

As the Ebola outbreak continues to spread, Guo Jiakun said China will continue to provide assistance to African countries according to its ability and help Africa overcome the outbreak as soon as possible.

The outbreak is concentrated in 34 health zones spread across the provinces of Ituri, North Kivu, and South Kivu.

The ministry also said the 24th health zone known as Lolwa, Ituri province which was the epicenter of the outbreak, is now also affected by the spread of Ebola.

Until now, 595 patients are undergoing isolation or being treated in hospitals, while 213 patients have recovered. The contact tracing rate in the three affected provinces reached 82.7 percent.

Director General of the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Africa Jean Kaseya on Thursday (2/7) warned that the ongoing outbreak is still very serious, because the current outbreak has recorded a very rapid increase in terms of the number of cases and deaths compared to previous Ebola outbreaks.

The World Health Organization (WHO) has also said one clinical trial has begun recruiting patients in the DRC to evaluate a potential treatment for Bundibugyo virus disease.

According to the WHO, this clinical trial will evaluate the monoclonal antibody MBP134 and the antiviral drug remdesivir, both separately and in combination, to determine whether both can increase the survival rate of patients diagnosed with Bundibugyo virus disease.

Earlier this week, DRC President Félix Tshisekedi announced a plan to tackle the Ebola outbreak worth 319 million US dollars (around Rp5.65 trillion)

Meanwhile, donor countries and partners have pledged $910 million (around Rp16.11 trillion) to support the Ebola response in Congo and Uganda, where 20 cases have been confirmed.