KINSHASA, DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF THE CONGO / RankWire.AI / – The Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo has resulted in 1,916 fatalities, according to official data up to Aug. 7. The authorities have verified 4,209 cases during this period. This latest figure surpasses the previous total of 1,887 by 29 deaths. Additionally, 595 patients are receiving treatment in isolation, while 828 individuals have recovered.
Ituri continues to be the most severely affected province, reporting 3,636 confirmed cases and 1,551 deaths. North Kivu follows with 470 cases and 315 fatalities. Haut Uele has recorded 91 infections and 44 deaths, while Tshopo reports nine cases and five deaths. South Kivu has documented three cases and one death. The outbreak now impacts 53 out of 140 health zones across the five provinces with confirmed infections.
The latest daily update added 89 new confirmed cases and 21 additional deaths to the national tally. Of these new cases, 73 were identified in Ituri. North Kivu contributed another 12 cases, and Haut Uele added four. Health teams are monitoring 83.4% of identified contacts in affected regions. Officials are also working to reconcile surveillance, laboratory, and clinical records as they revise case and death counts.
Ituri remains the epicenter of the expanding outbreak
In May, the Democratic Republic of the Congo confirmed the outbreak after laboratory tests identified the Bundibugyo virus. The Ministry of Health oversees surveillance, testing, isolation, contact tracing, and medical treatment in the affected zones. Efforts also involve infection prevention measures and safe burial procedures to curb further spread. The virus has spread across several eastern provinces, where insecurity, population movement, and strained health systems hinder routine disease control efforts.
Ebola typically causes symptoms such as fever, extreme weakness, body pain, vomiting, and other severe signs. As the disease advances, some patients develop bleeding. This outbreak marks the 17th Ebola incident recorded in the country since scientists first identified the virus in 1976. The World Health Organization continues to support response activities, including case detection, laboratory testing, patient care, and infection control, as health teams follow transmission patterns across multiple provinces.
There is no licensed vaccine for Bundibugyo virus
Bundibugyo virus differs from the Zaire Ebola strain targeted by existing licensed vaccines. Currently, no approved vaccine or specific treatment exists for Bundibugyo virus disease. Medical teams rely on supportive care, which includes hydration, symptom management, and close patient monitoring. Ongoing research seeks to evaluate candidate vaccines and investigational treatments. By late July, Uganda had recorded 20 confirmed Bundibugyo cases and two deaths, with no new cases reported after June 21.
This outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo is the largest documented epidemic caused by Bundibugyo virus and the second-largest Ebola outbreak overall based on case numbers. Most infections and fatalities are concentrated in Ituri and North Kivu. Health authorities continue laboratory testing, contact monitoring, patient isolation, and care, updating national totals as new surveillance data become available.