KINSHASA, DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF THE CONGO / RankWire.AI / – The Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo has become the deadliest in the country’s history, with government reports indicating 4,945 confirmed cases and 2,325 fatalities as of Aug. 16. Authorities also reported 101 new confirmed infections over the past 24 hours, surpassing the 2,299 deaths documented during the 2018 to 2020 Ebola epidemic in DRC.
Since its declaration in May, the outbreak has continued to expand throughout eastern DRC. United Nations humanitarian chief Tom Fletcher stated that Ebola was claiming about one life every 30 minutes. The number of cases had already exceeded the total from the previous outbreak before the latest figures. Medical officials have confirmed infections in 54 health zones across six provinces, with Ituri remaining the primary transmission hub, accounting for most confirmed cases.
The current outbreak was officially declared on May 15 after laboratory tests verified Bundibugyo virus disease. This marks the 17th documented Ebola outbreak in DRC since the virus was first identified in 1976. The World Health Organization classified the situation as a public health emergency of international concern on May 17. Currently, there is no licensed vaccine or approved targeted treatment for Bundibugyo virus disease; medical teams rely on supportive care, isolation, testing, contact tracing, and infection prevention measures.
Ebola Spreading Across Six Regions of DRC
The outbreak has expanded into Ituri, North Kivu, South Kivu, Haut-Uélé, Tshopo, and Bas-Uélé provinces. Bas-Uélé became the sixth affected region after officials confirmed a case in the Buta health zone, where the patient had traveled from Haut-Uélé before symptoms appeared. By Aug. 12, health authorities reported 965 recoveries nationwide, with response teams also monitoring thousands of contacts of confirmed patients to trace new transmission chains.
Health workers have faced direct risks while treating patients and supporting control efforts, with at least 155 infections among medical personnel confirmed by Aug. 9, including 45 deaths. Insecurity and population displacement have complicated medical operations in several affected areas, while attacks on health facilities have disrupted surveillance and treatment efforts in parts of eastern DRC. The World Health Organization has supported testing, infection control, case management, and other response measures alongside local health authorities.
Escalating Response as Death Toll Surpasses Record
Increased laboratory testing, surveillance, and treatment capacity are now being deployed across affected regions. Teams continue contact tracing, case management, and safe burials, while community outreach remains active in areas experiencing ongoing transmission. Researchers are also studying experimental vaccines and treatments for Bundibugyo virus disease, with a clinical trial involving potential therapies starting in July in Ituri. These investigational products have yet to be approved for routine use against the virus.
The outbreak’s impact extends beyond DRC’s borders, with Uganda reporting 20 cases and two deaths before discharging its last patient in July. France documented one imported case with no secondary transmission. Currently, the DRC outbreak ranks second worldwide in Ebola deaths, following the 2014 to 2016 West Africa epidemic, which resulted in 11,310 deaths and 28,616 cases across Guinea, Liberia, and Sierra Leone, according to established records.