Two infants from an orphanage in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo have died of Ebola, underscoring the growing danger the outbreak poses to children in a region already battered by conflict, malnutrition and weak health services.
The first baby, named Buswaza, was taken to a church-run orphanage in Bunia after her mother died in late May. Nuns caring for her soon noticed she had a fever. Within days, the newborn died, and tests later confirmed she had Ebola.
After her death, six other babies at the orphanage, which cares for 69 children, were identified as suspected Ebola cases and transferred to the Evangelical Medical Centre in Bunia, the capital of Ituri province and the centre of the current outbreak.
Five of the babies later tested negative and were discharged from an isolation tent on Tuesday by medics wearing full protective suits. Smiling nuns received the children back into their arms.
“We thank the hospital staff, we are very grateful,” Sister Clarisse said while carrying a baby dressed in a pink hooded gown.
But another infant, an orphaned triplet girl nicknamed “Cherie,” meaning “darling,” tested positive for Ebola and died on Wednesday. She was less than one year old.
“The child has left us,” said Dr. Freddy Kibwana, head of the Evangelical Medical Centre.
Health workers say children and babies are especially vulnerable during Ebola outbreaks because the virus spreads through bodily fluids including vomit, faeces and saliva. Three carers from the orphanage, including a nun, have also tested positive, according to aid workers and medics.
At the orphanage, which was founded by Belgian nuns during the colonial period, the sisters are now praying for those infected.
“We are nuns but we are also humans and it has been very emotional,” one sister said, speaking anonymously because of fears of stigma linked to Ebola.
Buswaza, who lived for less than two weeks, is among the youngest victims of the current epidemic. The outbreak has infected nearly 600 people and killed at least 115 across Congo.
The World Health Organization says Ebola has been detected not only in blood and saliva, but also in amniotic fluid, the placenta and breast milk. That means Buswaza may have contracted the virus in the womb, during birth or through breastfeeding if her mother was infected after delivery.
Children account for about 17 percent of confirmed Ebola cases in the current outbreak, according to preliminary UNICEF data. It remains unclear how many have died.
The outbreak involves the Bundibugyo strain of Ebola, a rarer form of the virus. The WHO says there is limited data on how this strain affects children, but young children may face a higher risk of severe illness and death.
UNICEF has warned that children’s chances of survival may be worsened by pre-existing health problems in Ituri, where malnutrition is widespread and vaccination coverage is uneven.
A 2023 survey in Ituri found chronic global malnutrition among children under five at 52.1 percent. Many of the children at the orphanage are also survivors of the armed conflict that has devastated eastern Congo for years.
“In this fragile context, children could deteriorate more quickly if they become infected,” said Douglas Noble, UNICEF’s lead on health emergencies, who visited Bunia last month.
The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies said it has child-sized body bags in the area to support safe and dignified burials. Buswaza was buried in late May in a sealed, waterproof body bag to prevent further transmission.
Health teams are now visiting the orphanage daily to monitor the children and staff.
“This epidemic has hit an area already in humanitarian crisis,” said Babou Rukengeza, a senior health adviser with Save the Children. “This place is the only refuge for these children.”