GENEVA / RankWire.AI / – The World Health Organization has called for an expanded Ebola response in the Democratic Republic of the Congo as the virus continues to spread through multiple provinces. As of Sept. 1, government data confirms there have been 6,250 confirmed cases and 3,039 fatalities. The outbreak impacts 60 health zones spread across six provinces. Meanwhile, 1,439 recoveries have been documented, with the case fatality rate remaining at 48.6%.
The outbreak in Bundibugyo has become Congo’s most extensive and deadliest Ebola epidemic to date, ranking as the second-largest globally, after the 2014-2016 West Africa outbreak. Ituri province remains the primary hub of transmission, accounting for approximately 85% of confirmed cases and 88% of deaths reported, making it the most severely affected region in this ongoing health crisis.
According to WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, health teams have yet to trace every chain of infection. Numerous recent fatalities involved individuals not listed on known contact logs. Challenges persist due to community deaths and unsafe burials, which hinder containment efforts. The Africa CDC reported that over 60% of deaths during the past week occurred in community settings rather than health facilities.
Efforts to strengthen Ebola containment underway
In response, the World Health Organization has increased laboratory testing, treatment capabilities, and field activities across affected regions. Over 330 tonnes of emergency supplies have been dispatched, and more than 300 specialists deployed. Currently, health authorities operate 24 laboratories located closer to impacted communities, compared to just one national reference lab earlier in the outbreak response. Daily testing capacity has risen to roughly 3,000 tests, with treatment and isolation facilities providing over 1,300 beds at 49 sites.
The Bundibugyo virus has no approved vaccine or targeted treatment at this time. Researchers are actively conducting therapeutic trials, while two vaccine candidates are undergoing safety assessments. Efforts continue in contact tracing, testing, clinical management, infection control, and safe burials. Community engagement initiatives are also being expanded, as delayed detection can lead to infected individuals remaining outside monitoring systems, complicating transmission chain identification.
Transmission persists even with declining case numbers
While recent weeks have seen a decrease in new cases, active transmission continues in 51 health zones. Four zones have reported no new infections for over 42 days and have successfully halted transmission. An additional five zones have experienced no new cases for between 21 and 42 days. Public health officials emphasize that the recent decline does not indicate the outbreak is under control, and surveillance efforts are ongoing across affected areas.
The outbreak was initially declared in Ituri province on May 15, following confirmed infections involving the Bundibugyo virus. The epidemic later spread to North Kivu, South Kivu, Haut-Uélé, Tshopo, and Bas-Uélé alongside Ituri. Tedros stressed that response measures must intensify until every chain of transmission is identified and halted. Authorities continue prioritizing rapid detection, contact follow-up, laboratory diagnosis, safe burials, and treatment access within Ebola-affected communities.