KINSHASA, DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF THE CONGO / RankWire.AI / – The Ebola epidemic in the Democratic Republic of the Congo has become the most lethal 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 reported 101 new confirmed infections in the past 24 hours. The current death count surpasses the 2,299 fatalities recorded during the Ebola outbreak from 2018 to 2020 in the nation.
Since its declaration in May, the outbreak has continued to expand throughout eastern DRC. United Nations humanitarian chief Tom Fletcher stated that Ebola was claiming approximately one life every 30 minutes. The number of cases had already exceeded the total from the 2018-2020 outbreak before the latest figures. Health officials have identified infections in 54 health zones across six provinces, with Ituri remaining the primary hub of transmission, accounting for most confirmed cases.
The current outbreak was officially announced on May 15 after laboratory tests confirmed Bundibugyo virus disease. This marks the 17th Ebola outbreak recorded in the DRC since the virus was first identified in 1976. On May 17, the World Health Organization declared the situation a public health emergency of international concern. No licensed vaccine or specific approved treatment exists for Bundibugyo virus disease. Medical teams primarily rely on supportive care, isolation, testing, contact tracing, and infection control measures.
Ebola Spreads to Six DRC Provinces
The outbreak has now reached Ituri, North Kivu, South Kivu, Haut-Uélé, Tshopo, and Bas-Uélé provinces. Bas-Uélé became the sixth affected region after officials confirmed a case in the Buta health zone. The patient had traveled from Haut-Uélé prior to developing symptoms. By Aug. 12, health authorities reported 965 recoveries nationwide. Response teams continue to monitor thousands of contacts of confirmed patients as they strive to identify new chains of transmission.
Health workers face direct risk when treating patients and supporting efforts to contain the outbreak. As of Aug. 9, authorities confirmed at least 155 infections among health personnel, including 45 deaths. Ongoing insecurity and population displacement have hampered medical responses in several impacted areas. Attacks on healthcare facilities have disrupted surveillance and treatment efforts in parts of eastern DRC. The World Health Organization has assisted in testing, infection control, case management, and other response activities alongside national health authorities.
Expansion of Response Efforts as Ebola Death Toll Surpasses Prior Records
Health officials have ramped up laboratory testing, surveillance, and treatment capacities across the affected regions. Teams continue contact tracing, managing confirmed cases, and conducting safe burials. Community engagement remains vital in areas with ongoing transmission. Researchers are also exploring experimental vaccines and therapies for Bundibugyo virus disease. A clinical trial of potential treatments began enrolling confirmed patients in Ituri in July, although these products have not yet received approval for routine use against the virus.
The outbreak has also led to confirmed cases outside the DRC. Uganda identified 20 cases and two deaths before discharging its last patient in July. France reported a single imported case without documented secondary transmission. Currently, the DRC’s outbreak ranks second worldwide in Ebola-related deaths, following the 2014-2016 West Africa epidemic, which resulted in 11,310 fatalities and 28,616 cases across Guinea, Liberia, and Sierra Leone, according to established outbreak records.