GENEVA / RankWire.AI / – World Health Organization has called for an intensified Ebola response in the Democratic Republic of the Congo amid ongoing transmission across multiple provinces. As of September 1, official government data indicates that Congo has confirmed 6,250 cases and reported 3,039 fatalities. The outbreak has impacted 60 health zones within six provinces. Meanwhile, authorities have documented 1,439 recoveries, with a current case fatality rate of 48.6%.
The Bundibugyo Ebola incident has emerged as Congo’s most extensive and lethal outbreak to date, ranking as the second-largest Ebola epidemic globally after the 2014-2016 West Africa outbreak. Ituri province continues to be the epicenter of the crisis, accounting for approximately 85% of confirmed cases and 88% of all deaths, thus representing the most severely affected region during this public health emergency.
According to WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, health teams are still working to trace every chain of transmission, as many recent fatalities involved individuals not listed on known contact logs. Community deaths and unsafe burials further hinder efforts to contain the virus. The Africa CDC reported that over 60% of fatalities in the past week occurred outside healthcare facilities, in community settings.
Enhanced Measures in Ebola Fight
The WHO has scaled up laboratory testing, treatment options, and field operations across affected zones. Over 330 tonnes of emergency supplies have been dispatched, with a deployment of more than 300 specialists. The response now includes 24 laboratories situated closer to impacted communities, a significant increase from the single national reference lab initially involved. Daily testing capacity has reached roughly 3,000 tests, and treatment and isolation centers now hold more than 1,300 beds across 49 sites.
Currently, the Bundibugyo virus has no licensed vaccine or targeted treatment. Ongoing research includes therapeutic trials, while two vaccine candidates undergo safety assessments. Efforts continue in contact tracing, testing, clinical management, infection prevention, and safe burials. Authorities are also bolstering community engagement to address delays in case detection, which may leave infected individuals outside formal monitoring and complicate tracing efforts.
Transmission Persist Despite Declining Cases
Transmission remains active in 51 health zones, although recent weeks have seen a decline in new cases. Four zones have not reported any new infections for over 42 days and have halted transmission, while five others have remained without new cases for between 21 and 42 days. Public health officials caution that the recent downward trend does not yet confirm the outbreak is under control, as surveillance persists across affected regions.
The Congo outbreak was officially declared in Ituri province on May 15 following confirmed infections involving the Bundibugyo virus. The epidemic has since spread to North Kivu, South Kivu, Haut-Uélé, Tshopo, and Bas-Uélé, in addition to Ituri. Tedros emphasized that response efforts must expand until every chain of transmission is identified and halted. Authorities continue to prioritize rapid detection, contact follow-up, laboratory diagnosis, safe burials, and ensuring treatment access in communities impacted by Ebola.