12/06/2026
CAPRISA Director Professor Salim Abdool Karim this week travelled to Bunia in the DRC, the epicenter of the active hashtag outbreak caused by the rare hashtag virus. Sharing a glimpse into some insights observed along the way:
🔬Information and awareness messaging at Kinshasa International Airport by the DRC's National Health Dept.
🔬Visuals of one of the largest hospitals - approximately 80 beds - for Ebola patients in Bunia. Areas within the hospital include a PPE doffing area for healthcare workers, a satellite pharmacy for Ebola patients, designated zones to manage patients.
The visit reiterated salient points around prioritising work in the community, from the Global Virus Network briefing earlier this week:
👌It is vital to build trust in communities, particularly in the highly insecure area that is currently Bunia. "Right now we have 25 health zones in the DRS which have confirmed cases.” - Maria Van Kerkhove World Health Organization (WHO)
The World Health Organisation is building several makeshift Ebola wards at the hospital depicted in these pictures, for both suspected and confirmed cases.
👌"Everything starts and ends in the community. This is a complex outbreak and so we need a co-ordinated approach in our response." - Yap Boum II Africa CDC
👌"Ongoing transmission to healthcare workers is a challenge. The community needs to have confidence in the healthcare workers." - Professor Salim Abdool Karim CAPRISA