KINSHASA, Aug. 10 (Xinhua) -- The Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) may have begun as early as February, months before it was officially declared in May, according to genetic sequencing studies, a senior World Health Organization (WHO) official said Monday.

Medical workers wear protective suits before disinfecting work in Mongbwalu, Ituri province, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, May 24, 2026. (File photo: Xinhua)

Speaking at a press conference in Bunia, capital of the eastern Ituri Province and the epicenter of the outbreak, WHO Regional Director for Africa Mohamed Yakub Janabi said genetic sequencing indicated that the virus had likely been circulating for months before the outbreak was detected.

The DRC officially declared outbreaks of Ebola disease caused by the Bundibugyo virus on May 15.

According to the latest figures released by local authorities, the DRC had recorded 4,209 confirmed cases, including 1,916 deaths, as of Aug. 7.