The Democratic Republic of the Congo has confirmed an anthrax outbreak in the eastern North Kivu Province, resulting in one death, the World Health Organization (WHO) said on Thursday.
Four health zones around Lake Edward, near the border with Uganda, have been affected, with one confirmed and 16 suspected human cases.
Initial signs of the outbreak surfaced on March 22 in Virunga National Park, where dozens of wild animals, including buffalo and hippopotamuses, were found dead. The outbreak has since raised concerns about animal-to-human transmission in the region.
Anthrax, a serious bacterial infection, primarily affects livestock and wildlife but can also infect humans through direct contact with infected animals or contaminated animal products. The WHO has linked the current outbreak to a similar one across the border in Uganda’s Kabale district, where seven suspected human cases have been reported.
“Our efforts are focused on swiftly breaking the animal-to-human transmission,” said Dr. Boureima Sambo, WHO representative in the Congo. “We’re working closely with the government, communities, and partners to strengthen response measures to protect public health now and in the future.”
According to the WHO, livestock vaccination and community engagement are central to the ongoing response. Though human-to-human transmission of anthrax is rare, health officials are urging caution and adherence to safety protocols.
Anthrax in humans typically appears in three forms: cutaneous, gastrointestinal, and inhalational. The most common, cutaneous anthrax, causes skin lesions and flu-like symptoms, while gastrointestinal anthrax—contracted through consumption of infected meat—can lead to severe abdominal complications.
Health authorities continue to monitor the situation closely and are implementing containment measures to prevent further spread of the disease.
The US will host the official signing of a peace agreement between the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Rwanda, the State Department announced Friday.
A mine collapse in rebel-held eastern DR Congo has left at least 12 people dead, with others managing to escape. The cause of the disaster remains unknown.
A third contingent of South African peacekeepers deployed to the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) as part of a regional stabilization mission returned home Monday, landing at Bram Fischer International Airport in Bloemfontein.
Over 100 people have died after severe flooding struck a village near Lake Tanganyika in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), exacerbating the region's ongoing challenges.
The Southern African Development Community (SADC) on Monday strongly denied claims made by the M23 rebel group and its allies, alleging that the SADC's mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo (SAMIDRC) participated in joint military operations in the eastern city of Goma.
The OIC's 51st ministerial session convenes in Istanbul to tackle pressing global and regional issues.
France has announced a €1.35 billion ($1.55 billion) investment in the debt-laden satellite company Eutelsat, becoming the company's largest shareholder. As the French finance ministry said, the move is intended to strengthen Europe’s leading satellite to compete with Elon Musk’s Starlink.
Japan has reportedly cancelled a planned high-level security meeting with the United States after Washington pressed Tokyo to increase its defense spending, according to the Financial Times.
Israel announced on Saturday that it had killed senior Iranian commander Saeed Izadi, head of the Palestine Corps of Iran’s Quds Force, in a targeted strike in Qom. Izadi was accused of supporting Hamas before its October 2023 attack on Israel.
The first pilot cargo shipment along the Uzbekistan–Kyrgyzstan–China–Mongolia transport corridor has been successfully completed.
Iranian missiles struck multiple locations across Israel and neighbouring regions early Friday morning, including a Microsoft office complex, according to emergency responders and local media reports.
Peace is no longer a dream. It is a discussion. On the streets of Baku and Yerevan, it is also a question, of trust, of foreign interests, and of who truly wants it.
A high-speed tram derailment in central Gothenburg, Sweden, has left at least eight people injured late on Thursday (19 June), after the vehicle slammed into a snack bar on Avenyn Avenue.
The 2025 G7 Leaders’ Summit was held June 15–17 in Kananaskis, Alberta, under Canada’s presidency. Prime Minister Mark Carney framed the meeting around priorities of protecting communities, energy and climate security, the digital transition, and future partnerships.
The USS Nimitz is heading to the Middle East amid tensions between Israel and Iran. The U.S. aircraft carrier has a decades-long history in the region, from the 1979 hostage crisis to modern deployments, often serving as a key asset during periods of rising friction with Iran.
Orkhan Nazarli, Head of Azerbaijan’s State Tax Service under the Ministry of Economy, held separate meetings with senior tax officials from Latvia and Montenegro during the 29th General Assembly of the Intra-European Organization of Tax Administrations (IOTA) in Baku.
The OIC's 51st ministerial session convenes in Istanbul to tackle pressing global and regional issues.
Japan has reportedly cancelled a planned high-level security meeting with the United States after Washington pressed Tokyo to increase its defense spending, according to the Financial Times.
Israel announced on Saturday that it had killed senior Iranian commander Saeed Izadi, head of the Palestine Corps of Iran’s Quds Force, in a targeted strike in Qom. Izadi was accused of supporting Hamas before its October 2023 attack on Israel.
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced that Ukraine is accelerating the development and production of interceptor drones to defend against the growing number of Iranian-made Shahed drones used by Russia in recent attacks.
The OIC's 51st ministerial session convenes in Istanbul to tackle pressing global and regional issues.
France has announced a €1.35 billion ($1.55 billion) investment in the debt-laden satellite company Eutelsat, becoming the company's largest shareholder. As the French finance ministry said, the move is intended to strengthen Europe’s leading satellite to compete with Elon Musk’s Starlink.
Japan has reportedly cancelled a planned high-level security meeting with the United States after Washington pressed Tokyo to increase its defense spending, according to the Financial Times.
Israel announced on Saturday that it had killed senior Iranian commander Saeed Izadi, head of the Palestine Corps of Iran’s Quds Force, in a targeted strike in Qom. Izadi was accused of supporting Hamas before its October 2023 attack on Israel.
The first pilot cargo shipment along the Uzbekistan–Kyrgyzstan–China–Mongolia transport corridor has been successfully completed.
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