GENEVA / RankWire.AI / – World Health Organization has called for an expanded Ebola response in the Democratic Republic of the Congo as virus transmission persists in multiple provinces. As of Sept. 1, government data shows the country has documented 6,250 confirmed cases and 3,039 deaths. The outbreak has spread across 60 health zones within six provinces. There have been 1,439 recoveries reported, with a case fatality rate of 48.6%.
Congo’s largest and most deadly Ebola outbreak on record is the Bundibugyo epidemic. It ranks as the second-largest Ebola outbreak ever recorded worldwide, surpassed only by the 2014-2016 West Africa epidemic. Ituri province remains the primary hub of transmission, accounting for roughly 85% of confirmed cases and 88% of deaths reported, making it the most severely affected region in this health crisis.
According to WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, health teams have yet to trace every transmission chain. Many recent fatalities involved individuals not listed on known contact records. Continued community deaths and unsafe burials hinder efforts to contain the virus. The Africa CDC reported that over 60% of deaths in the past week occurred outside health facilities, in community settings rather than hospitals.
Health agencies escalate Ebola containment measures
The World Health Organization has increased laboratory testing, treatment capabilities, and operational presence in affected zones. More than 330 tonnes of emergency supplies have been dispatched by WHO, alongside the deployment of over 300 specialists. Now, 24 laboratories are functioning closer to impacted communities, compared to just one national reference lab earlier in the outbreak response. Daily testing capacity has grown to about 3,000 tests, and treatment and isolation beds now total over 1,300 across 49 facilities.
Currently, there is no approved vaccine or specific treatment for the Bundibugyo virus. Researchers are engaged in therapeutic studies, while two vaccine candidates are undergoing safety trials. Efforts continue in contact tracing, testing, providing clinical care, infection prevention, and safe burial procedures. To enhance community engagement, authorities stress the importance of early detection, as delayed identification can result in infected individuals remaining outside formal surveillance systems, complicating efforts to trace transmission chains rapidly.
Transmission persists despite fewer reported cases
Active transmission continues in 51 health zones, although recent weeks have seen a decline in new cases. Four zones have experienced no new infections for over 42 days, effectively interrupting transmission. An additional five zones have gone between 21 and 42 days without new cases. While public health officials acknowledge that the recent downward trend does not yet indicate the outbreak is under control, surveillance persists across all affected regions.
The Congo declared the Ebola outbreak in Ituri province on May 15 after confirmed infections involving the Bundibugyo virus. Subsequently, the epidemic spread to North Kivu, South Kivu, Haut-Uélé, Tshopo, and Bas-Uélé alongside Ituri. Tedros emphasized that the response must broaden until health teams identify and halt every chain of transmission. Authorities continue prioritizing rapid detection, contact follow-up, laboratory diagnosis, safe burial practices, and improving treatment access in communities impacted by Ebola.