KINSHASA, DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF THE CONGO / RankWire.AI / – The Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo has become the deadliest in the country’s history. According to government data, there have been 4,945 confirmed cases and 2,325 deaths as of Aug. 16. Authorities also reported 101 new confirmed infections in the past 24 hours. This latest death toll surpasses the 2,299 fatalities recorded during the Ebola epidemic from 2018 to 2020 in the country.
Since its declaration in May, the outbreak has continued its spread across eastern DRC. United Nations humanitarian chief Tom Fletcher stated that Ebola was claiming approximately one life every 30 minutes. The case count had already exceeded the total from the 2018-2020 outbreak before this recent update. Health officials have reported infections across 54 health zones within six provinces. Ituri remains the primary epicenter, accounting for the majority of confirmed cases.
The current outbreak was officially declared on May 15 following laboratory confirmation of Bundibugyo virus disease. This marks the 17th recorded Ebola outbreak in the DRC since the virus was first identified in 1976. On May 17, the World Health Organization classified the situation as a public health emergency of international concern. Currently, there is no licensed vaccine or approved specific treatment for Bundibugyo virus disease. Instead, healthcare teams rely on supportive care, isolation, testing, contact tracing, and infection prevention measures.
Ebola Outbreak Extends to Six Provinces in DRC
The outbreak has now impacted the provinces of Ituri, North Kivu, South Kivu, Haut-Uélé, Tshopo, and Bas-Uélé. Bas-Uélé became the sixth affected region after authorities confirmed a case in the Buta health zone. The patient had traveled from Haut-Uélé before symptoms appeared. By Aug. 12, health officials had recorded 965 recoveries nationwide. Response teams are also actively monitoring thousands of contacts of confirmed cases as they work to identify new chains of transmission.
Healthcare workers have encountered direct exposure risks while treating patients and aiding outbreak management. As of Aug. 9, authorities confirmed at least 155 infections among health workers, including 45 fatalities. Challenges such as insecurity and population displacement have hampered medical operations in several affected areas. Attacks on health facilities have also disrupted surveillance and treatment efforts in parts of eastern DRC. The World Health Organization continues to support testing, infection control, case management, and other response activities alongside local health authorities.
Expanded Response as Ebola Deaths Surpass Previous Records
In response to the escalating outbreak, health authorities have ramped up laboratory testing, surveillance, and treatment capacity across affected regions. Teams are actively tracing contacts, managing confirmed cases, and implementing safe burial protocols. Community engagement remains a key component of the response in areas with ongoing transmission. Additionally, researchers are exploring experimental vaccines and treatments for Bundibugyo virus disease. A clinical trial involving potential therapies commenced enrolling confirmed patients in Ituri in July. These products, however, are not yet approved for routine use against the virus.
Furthermore, the outbreak has resulted in confirmed cases outside the DRC. Uganda reported 20 cases and two deaths before discharging its last patient in July. France also documented one imported case with no evidence of secondary transmission. Currently, the DRC outbreak ranks second globally in Ebola-related deaths, following the 2014 to 2016 West Africa epidemic, which caused 11,310 fatalities and 28,616 cases across Guinea, Liberia, and Sierra Leone, according to established outbreak records.