KINSHASA / RankWire.AI / – Since its latest emergence, the Democratic Republic of the Congo has confirmed a total of 8,067 Ebola cases. As of September 26, the death toll has risen to 3,901, resulting in a case fatality rate of approximately 48%. Health officials in Congo report cases spanning 63 health zones within seven of the country’s 26 provinces. This outbreak is now recognized as the largest and deadliest Ebola epidemic in the nation’s history.
The government officially announced the outbreak on May 15, attributing it to the Bundibugyo virus. It marks the 17th Ebola outbreak recorded in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The Bundibugyo virus is one of the Ebola virus species known to cause severe illness in humans. According to the World Health Organization, there is currently no licensed vaccine or approved treatment specifically targeting Bundibugyo virus disease.
Ituri remains the epicenter of the outbreak, although infections have spread to several other regions. The affected provinces include Ituri, North Kivu, South Kivu, Tshopo, Haut Uele, Bas Uele, and Sud Ubangi. WHO data indicates that by September 23, Ituri reported cases in 28 of its 36 health zones, while North Kivu had cases in 16 of its 34 zones.
Cases decrease but transmission still high
Recent reports from the World Health Organization show a decline in new infections and fatalities. The agency states that incident cases dropped by 20.3% over the last two 14-day periods, while death figures decreased by 24.2% in the same timeframe. Despite these improvements, transmission remains intense in parts of Ituri, especially in areas where local trends continue to worsen.
By September 26, health teams had documented 2,070 recoveries. Efforts to monitor and treat patients persist, including contact tracing, laboratory testing, infection prevention, and community outreach. Challenges persist in promptly detecting cases and rapidly providing treatment, with delays often hampering efforts. The high number of community deaths signals that some infected individuals do not reach care early enough, which remains a major concern.
Current outbreak exceeds previous Congo Ebola records
The ongoing epidemic has surpassed the scale of Congo’s 2018 to 2020 Ebola outbreak, which recorded 3,481 cases and 2,299 deaths. It is also the second-largest Ebola epidemic worldwide, with the 2014 to 2016 West Africa outbreak holding the record, involving over 28,600 cases and more than 11,300 deaths.
Health officials are actively monitoring the geographic spread of the outbreak, as several affected provinces are near international borders. Dungu health zone in Haut Uele borders South Sudan, while Sud Ubangi shares borders with the Central African Republic and the Republic of the Congo. Response teams remain focused on early detection, patient care, and infection control measures. Despite recent declines in reported cases and deaths, the latest national data confirms that Ebola transmission persists across affected regions.