Lessons Learned from the 13th Ebola Virus Disease Outbreak in the DRC: Experience from Beni During Response Interventions with Support from the USAID Infectious Disease Detection, Diagnosis, and Surveillance Project
1
Direction des laboratoires RDC, Kinshasa, Congo, République démocratique du
Popul. Med. 2026;8(Supplement Supplement 1):
ABSTRACT
INTRODUCTION:
The 13th Ebola virus disease (EVD) outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) was declared on October 8, 2021, in the Beni Health Zone, North Kivu Province—only five months after the 12th outbreak. Emerging in a context of insecurity, healthcare worker strikes, and humanitarian crises, the response prioritized strengthening laboratory biosafety and biomedical waste management, recognizing laboratories as essential pillars for surveillance and diagnosis.
METHODS:
Interventions were organized around three key components. Logistical support focused on securing sample transport and providing 41 bins and 13,120 trash bags to laboratories in Beni, Mangina, and Butembo. Safe waste management included the collection and incineration of 5,450 GeneXpert cartridges (3,700 used and 1,750 expired) in Goma at temperatures above 1200 °C to minimize environmental and infection risks. Technical support comprised supervision visits, harmonization of biological data, reinforcement of biosafety practices, and discussions on patient and sample flow at the Beni Ebola Treatment Center (ETC).
RESULTS:
Between October and November 2021, a total of 620 samples were analyzed, yielding 18 positive results, including 8 new confirmed cases, corresponding to a 2.9% positivity rate. These findings demonstrate the effectiveness of maintaining operational and secure diagnostic capacity for timely outbreak detection and response. Logistical and technical interventions improved biosafety, strengthened waste management, and reduced environmental contamination risks in priority laboratories.
CONCLUSIONS:
The combination of logistical and technical support enabled a rapid, safe, and efficient outbreak response. However, insecurity limited activity continuity, underscoring the need for future responses to integrate robust logistical and security planning. Sustained laboratory supervision, effective sample transport, and safe biomedical waste disposal remain vital for EVD preparedness and health system resilience in fragile contexts.
The 13th Ebola virus disease (EVD) outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) was declared on October 8, 2021, in the Beni Health Zone, North Kivu Province—only five months after the 12th outbreak. Emerging in a context of insecurity, healthcare worker strikes, and humanitarian crises, the response prioritized strengthening laboratory biosafety and biomedical waste management, recognizing laboratories as essential pillars for surveillance and diagnosis.
METHODS:
Interventions were organized around three key components. Logistical support focused on securing sample transport and providing 41 bins and 13,120 trash bags to laboratories in Beni, Mangina, and Butembo. Safe waste management included the collection and incineration of 5,450 GeneXpert cartridges (3,700 used and 1,750 expired) in Goma at temperatures above 1200 °C to minimize environmental and infection risks. Technical support comprised supervision visits, harmonization of biological data, reinforcement of biosafety practices, and discussions on patient and sample flow at the Beni Ebola Treatment Center (ETC).
RESULTS:
Between October and November 2021, a total of 620 samples were analyzed, yielding 18 positive results, including 8 new confirmed cases, corresponding to a 2.9% positivity rate. These findings demonstrate the effectiveness of maintaining operational and secure diagnostic capacity for timely outbreak detection and response. Logistical and technical interventions improved biosafety, strengthened waste management, and reduced environmental contamination risks in priority laboratories.
CONCLUSIONS:
The combination of logistical and technical support enabled a rapid, safe, and efficient outbreak response. However, insecurity limited activity continuity, underscoring the need for future responses to integrate robust logistical and security planning. Sustained laboratory supervision, effective sample transport, and safe biomedical waste disposal remain vital for EVD preparedness and health system resilience in fragile contexts.
| eISSN: | 2654-1459 |
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