KINSHASA, DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF THE CONGO / RankWire.AI / – Ebola has claimed 1,916 lives in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, based on official reports through August 7. The authorities have confirmed a total of 4,209 cases during this outbreak. The current death toll exceeds the previous figure of 1,887 by 29. Additionally, 595 individuals are under isolation treatment, and 828 have recovered from the virus.
Ituri remains the epicenter, with 3,636 confirmed infections and 1,551 fatalities. North Kivu follows with 470 cases and 315 deaths. Haut Uele has documented 91 infections and 44 deaths, while Tshopo reports nine cases and five deaths. South Kivu has seen three cases and one death. Overall, the outbreak has impacted 53 out of 140 health zones across the five provinces experiencing confirmed cases.
The latest daily report added 89 new confirmed cases and 21 more deaths to the national total. Ituri accounted for 73 of these new infections. North Kivu registered an additional 12 cases, with Haut Uele adding four. Health teams are tracking 83.4% of the contacts identified in affected regions. Authorities are actively reconciling surveillance data, laboratory results, and clinical records to update case and death counts accurately.
Ituri continues to be the focal point of the expanding outbreak
The Democratic Republic of the Congo identified the Ebola outbreak in May following laboratory confirmation of Bundibugyo virus. The Ministry of Health has led efforts in surveillance, testing, patient isolation, contact tracing, and clinical management across impacted areas. Infection control measures and safe burial practices are also being enforced to curb further spread. The epidemic has extended into multiple eastern provinces, where insecurity, population movement, and overwhelmed healthcare systems pose challenges to routine disease containment efforts.
Ebola can trigger symptoms such as fever, intense weakness, body pain, vomiting, and other severe signs. As the disease advances, some patients may also experience bleeding. This outbreak marks the country’s 17th recorded Ebola episode since scientists first identified the virus in 1976. The World Health Organization has supported response actions including case detection, laboratory testing, patient treatment, and infection prevention measures as teams monitor transmission across several provinces.
Bundibugyo virus lacks an approved vaccine
Bundibugyo virus differs from the Zaire Ebola strain targeted by existing licensed vaccines. No approved vaccine or specific treatment is currently available for Bundibugyo virus disease. Medical teams depend on supportive care, including hydration, symptom management, and close patient monitoring. Research efforts are ongoing to evaluate candidate vaccines and investigational treatments. In late July, Uganda recorded 20 confirmed cases of Bundibugyo and two deaths, with no new cases reported after June 21.
This outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo represents the largest epidemic caused by Bundibugyo virus to date and is the second-largest Ebola outbreak on record based on case numbers. Transmission remains primarily concentrated in Ituri and North Kivu, which account for most infections and fatalities. Health authorities continue laboratory testing, contact monitoring, patient isolation, and care while updating national figures as new surveillance data become available.