GENEVA / RankWire.AI / – World Health Organization has called for an expanded Ebola response in the Democratic Republic of the Congo as the virus continues to spread across multiple provinces. By September 1, the government’s latest data reported 6,250 confirmed cases and 3,039 fatalities. The outbreak has impacted 60 health zones within six provinces, with authorities noting 1,439 recoveries and a case fatality rate of 48.6%.
The Bundibugyo Ebola outbreak has become Congo’s most extensive and lethal Ebola epidemic to date. It ranks as the second-largest Ebola outbreak globally, after the 2014-2016 West Africa epidemic. Ituri province remains the primary transmission hub, accounting for roughly 85% of confirmed cases and 88% of deaths, making it the hardest-hit region amid this health crisis.
WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus stated that health teams have yet to trace every transmission chain. Many recent fatalities involved individuals not listed on known contact registries. Ongoing community deaths and unsafe burials continue to hinder containment efforts. The Africa CDC reported that over 60% of fatalities during the most recent seven days occurred within communities rather than health facilities.
Efforts to Strengthen Ebola Response Accelerate
The World Health Organization has increased laboratory testing, treatment options, and field operations in affected zones. More than 330 tonnes of emergency supplies have been delivered, and over 300 specialists deployed. Currently, 24 laboratories operate near impacted communities, compared to a single national reference lab earlier in the response. Daily testing capacity has increased to about 3,000 tests, with over 1,300 beds available for treatment and isolation in 49 health facilities.
The Bundibugyo virus has no approved vaccine or specific treatment at this time. Researchers are pursuing therapeutic studies, and two vaccine candidates are in safety testing phases. Contact tracing, testing, clinical management, infection control, and safe burial practices remain central. Authorities are also intensifying community engagement efforts to prevent delayed detection, which can leave infected individuals outside formal surveillance and complicate the identification of transmission chains.
Transmission persists in 51 health zones, despite a recent decline in case numbers. Four zones have reported no new cases for over 42 days and have interrupted transmission. An additional five zones have gone between 21 and 42 days without new infections. Public health officials caution that the current downward trend does not imply outbreak control, with surveillance ongoing across affected regions.
The outbreak was first declared in Ituri province on May 15 after confirmation of 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 response efforts need to expand until every transmission chain is identified and halted. Authorities continue focusing on rapid detection, contact follow-up, laboratory diagnosis, safe burials, and treatment access in communities impacted by Ebola.