Mobile Ebola Lab in Butembo Slashes Diagnosis Time to Hours
A mobile laboratory in Butembo, eastern DRC, now delivers Ebola test results in as little as six hours, down from up to 72 hours.
Healthcare workers in Butembo are operating a truck-based lab equipped with a negative-pressure system to safely process suspected Ebola samples. The unit can be relocated to outbreak hotspots, bringing testing closer to affected communities. Turnaround time for results has dropped dramatically, with many cases confirmed within 24 hours and some within six. Faster diagnostics enable quicker patient triage and earlier treatment for confirmed cases.
Why it matters
Quicker Ebola testing speeds treatment and containment, potentially saving lives and limiting spread.
How this story developed
- Aug 23 Ebola toll in DRC climbs to over 5,500 cases as Pope calls for global aid
- Aug 31 The epidemic has spread to the Biena and Manguredjipa health zones, increasing the total number of affected zones to 60.
- Sep 1 More than 50,000 vaccine doses arrived for frontline workers.
- Sep 2 Confirmed cases rise to 6,186 and deaths increase to 3,007.
- Sep 13 A case confirmed in South‑Ubangi marked the virus’s spread to a seventh province.
- Sep 17 Confirmed cases have risen to over 7,200 and deaths to more than 3,500 since the outbreak was first declared.
- Sep 21 Vaccination of frontline health workers began in Ituri province.
- Sep 27 WHO confirmed spread of the Bundibugyo strain to the Bulu and Dungu health zones.
- Oct 2 South Ubangi province reported its first cases, expanding the outbreak to a seventh region.
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