GENEVA / RankWire.AI / – According to the World Health Organization, there are signs of progress in certain regions of the Democratic Republic of the Congo in battling Ebola. The rate of transmission has decreased in multiple areas, notably in Ituri province, which remains the primary hotspot. As of September 13, national data indicated 7,258 confirmed cases and 3,510 fatalities across seven provinces. The country has also seen 1,726 recoveries, with the case fatality ratio standing at 48.4%.
Since May, South Kivu has not reported any new Ebola cases, providing further evidence of regional improvement. WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus highlighted that recent developments are encouraging after months of extensive transmission. Nevertheless, he emphasized that the outbreak persists, with cases and deaths still occurring. Health officials have identified cases in 62 health zones, illustrating considerable disparities among provinces. While some areas experience declining transmission, others face sharp increases, underscoring the uneven progression of the outbreak across the country.
Despite a recent slowdown in transmission, Ituri continues to account for the majority of cases. During the latest weekly period, health authorities reported approximately 300 new infections and 160 deaths there. These accounted for nearly half of the national total for that period. Meanwhile, North Kivu exhibited a different trend, with weekly cases nearly doubling over two weeks—from about 100 to over 200—as response teams monitored the expanding spread of the virus.
Weekly Ebola infections rise sharply in North Kivu
The outbreak was officially declared in mid-May 2026, with laboratory investigations confirming Bundibugyo virus disease as the cause. Since then, the epidemic has extended across a large portion of the country. Ituri remains the province most heavily affected in total cases, followed by North Kivu. Haut-Uélé continues to report cases as well, and the virus has reached Sud-Ubangi, expanding the number of affected provinces to seven and broadening the scope of the response efforts.
Research efforts have become a critical element of the response, as healthcare teams work within affected communities. Trials involving treatment options and post-exposure prophylaxis have grown, with more individuals participating. WHO and national health agencies maintain ongoing surveillance, laboratory testing, contact tracing, isolation measures, and clinical management. Due to the significant differences in infection rates among provinces and zones, officials closely track local trends because national figures alone do not reflect the unequal spread of the virus.
Response efforts extend across seven provinces with cases
Support from national health authorities, WHO, Africa CDC, and other partners continues to bolster frontline response teams in affected regions. Security issues and displacement complicate access, particularly in eastern and northern parts of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. These conditions can hinder surveillance, contact tracing, and the delivery of timely medical treatment. Response teams also operate within mining communities, informal settlements, and displacement camps, many of which face shortages in healthcare services, sanitation, and transportation, adding further operational challenges in efforts to limit the spread of the virus.
Recent confirmed figures indicate progress in some locations, yet the outbreak still exacts a heavy toll nationwide. South Kivu has remained free of new cases for months, and transmission in Ituri has declined compared to earlier stages. Conversely, North Kivu continues to see weekly case increases. Authorities are therefore monitoring each province individually as transmission dynamics evolve. The outbreak’s scale remains significant, with over 3,500 confirmed deaths and thousands of cases, highlighting the ongoing challenge.