GENEVA / RankWire.AI / – The World Health Organization has urged a significant scaling up of efforts to combat Ebola in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. According to Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, health teams have yet to trace all chains of transmission. As of Sept. 1, government data show the country has recorded 6,250 confirmed cases and 3,039 deaths. The Bundibugyo Ebola outbreak now impacts 60 health zones across six provinces.
This epidemic has become Congo’s largest and most lethal Ebola outbreak on record. It ranks as the second-largest Ebola outbreak worldwide, following the 2014-2016 epidemic in West Africa. The current emergency centers in Ituri, which accounts for about 85% of cases and 88% of deaths. Tedros highlighted that many fatalities involve individuals not listed as known contacts, indicating that some transmission chains remain untracked by health teams.
The challenge remains with community deaths and unsafe burials, which continue to hinder control efforts. More than 60% of deaths during the latest seven-day period happened in communities, according to Africa CDC. Officials have also noted delays in detecting infections and bringing patients into treatment facilities. The latest government figures show 1,439 recoveries and a case fatality rate of 48.6%, illustrating the severe impact of the Bundibugyo virus.
Transmission Continues in Multiple Areas of Eastern Congo
While signs of declining case numbers have been observed in recent weeks, transmission remains active in 51 health zones. Four zones have not reported new cases for over 42 days and have successfully interrupted transmission. An additional five zones have gone between 21 and 42 days without new cases. Health officials caution that these declines are too recent to confirm the outbreak is under control nationwide.
The World Health Organization has increased testing, treatment, and field support across affected regions. Over 330 tonnes of emergency supplies have been shipped, and more than 300 specialists have been deployed. Laboratory capacity has expanded from a single national reference lab to a network of 24 labs closer to impacted communities. Daily testing capacity now reaches about 3,000 tests, with treatment and isolation beds increasing to over 1,300 across 49 facilities.
Ongoing Efforts as Outbreak Persists in Multiple Provinces
The outbreak involves the Bundibugyo species of Ebola, which currently has no approved specific treatment or vaccine. Researchers are conducting therapeutic trials, while vaccine candidates targeting the Bundibugyo virus are undergoing safety evaluations. Authorities continue surveillance, contact tracing, laboratory testing, clinical care, and safe burial practices. Community engagement remains vital, as delayed detection and incomplete contact follow-up hinder efforts to identify and contain infected individuals before further transmission occurs.
Congo announced the outbreak in Ituri province on May 15 after authorities confirmed infections linked to the Bundibugyo virus. Since then, the outbreak has spread to North Kivu, South Kivu, Haut-Uélé, Tshopo, and Bas-Uélé provinces. Tedros emphasized that the response must be expanded until health teams can identify and break every chain of transmission. The focus remains on rapid detection, thorough contact follow-up, safe burials, laboratory diagnosis, and ensuring treatment access across affected communities.