Ebola outbreak in DR Congo becomes country’s largest on record
An Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo has become the country’s largest on record, infecting 3,605 people and killing 1,587 as transmission continues to accelerate, according to the World Health Organization (WHO).
WHO said Saturday that the outbreak, which began in the Mongbwalu health zone in Ituri Province, has spread to 49 health zones across five provinces over the past two months. At least 33 of those areas reported new cases during the past seven days.
The outbreak is caused by the Bundibugyo virus, one of the viruses that cause Ebola disease. The 1,587 deaths represent 44% of all confirmed cases, while 651 patients have recovered.
The previous record was set during the 2018-2020 Ebola outbreak, which resulted in 3,317 confirmed cases.
A record 567 cases and 296 deaths were reported during the most recent complete reporting week, the highest weekly figures since the outbreak began.
Ituri remains the epicenter, accounting for 3,176 cases, or 88% of the national total. Cases have also been reported in North Kivu, South Kivu, Haut-Uélé and Tshopo provinces.
At least 151 health care workers have been infected and 44 have died. WHO said insecurity and attacks on health facilities have disrupted surveillance and restricted access for response teams, raising the risk of undetected transmission.
Across all affected countries, 3,626 cases and 1,589 deaths have been reported, including 20 cases in Uganda and one in France. Two patients diagnosed in the Democratic Republic of the Congo were treated in Germany.
Uganda declared its outbreak over on July 28 after 42 days without a new locally transmitted case, but WHO said the country remains at risk because of continued transmission across the border.
There are no approved vaccines or specific treatments for Bundibugyo virus disease. WHO said a substantial expansion of response operations is needed to bring the outbreak under control.
The outbreak was declared on May 15, and the World Health Organization (WHO) declared it a public health emergency of international concern two days later because of continued transmission.
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Ella Rae Greene, Editor In Chief
