KINSHASA, DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF THE CONGO / RankWire.AI / – Ebola has resulted in the deaths of 1,916 individuals in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, as per official reports up to Aug. 7. The authorities have identified a total of 4,209 infections during this outbreak. The updated figures show an increase of 29 deaths compared to the earlier count of 1,887. Additionally, officials noted that 595 patients are under care in isolation, and 828 have recovered.
Ituri continues to be the province most affected, with 3,636 confirmed cases and 1,551 fatalities. North Kivu follows with 470 cases and 315 deaths. Haut Uele has documented 91 infections and 44 deaths, while Tshopo reports nine cases and five fatalities. South Kivu has seen three cases and one death. So far, the outbreak has impacted 53 of the 140 health zones across the five provinces reporting confirmed infections.
The latest daily report added 89 confirmed cases and 21 deaths to the national tally. Of these, Ituri accounted for 73 new cases. North Kivu recorded an additional 12, and Haut Uele contributed four. Efforts to trace contacts show that 83.4% of identified individuals are being followed. Authorities continue to reconcile data from surveillance, laboratories, and clinical reports as they update the case and death figures.
Ituri continues to be the epicenter of the expanding outbreak
The Democratic Republic of the Congo confirmed its Ebola outbreak in May, following laboratory tests that identified the Bundibugyo virus. The country’s Ministry of Health has taken charge of surveillance, testing, isolation, contact tracing, and patient treatment in affected regions. Measures also include infection prevention protocols and safe burial procedures to prevent further spread. The outbreak has spread to multiple eastern provinces, where insecurity, mobility, and limited healthcare capacity complicate routine control efforts.
Symptoms of Ebola include fever, extreme weakness, body pains, vomiting, and other severe conditions. As the disease progresses, some patients develop bleeding. This outbreak represents the country’s 17th recorded Ebola event since the virus was first identified in 1976. The World Health Organization continues to support efforts such as case detection, laboratory analysis, patient management, and infection prevention to track transmission across multiple provinces.
Bundibugyo virus lacks an approved vaccine
Bundibugyo virus is distinct from the Zaire Ebola strain, which is the target of existing licensed vaccines. Currently, no vaccine or specific treatment has been approved for Bundibugyo virus disease. Medical teams depend on supportive care, including hydration, symptom management, and close patient monitoring. Ongoing research aims to develop candidate vaccines and investigational treatments. By late July, Uganda had recorded 20 confirmed Bundibugyo cases and two deaths, with no new confirmed cases reported there after June 21.
This outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo is the largest epidemic caused by Bundibugyo virus documented so far. It also ranks as the second-largest Ebola outbreak overall by confirmed case numbers. The majority of infections and deaths are concentrated in Ituri and North Kivu. Authorities continue laboratory testing, contact monitoring, isolation, and patient care while updating national case totals as new surveillance data becomes available.