KINSHASA, DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF THE CONGO / RankWire.AI / – As of August 16, the Ebola epidemic in the Democratic Republic of the Congo has become the deadliest in the nation’s history. Official reports indicate 4,945 confirmed cases and 2,325 deaths, with 101 new infections identified in the past 24 hours. This death toll surpasses the 2,299 fatalities documented during the Ebola outbreak from 2018 to 2020 in the country.
Since the outbreak was officially declared in May, it has continued to expand throughout eastern DRC. United Nations humanitarian chief Tom Fletcher has stated that Ebola is claiming roughly one life every 30 minutes. The number of cases already exceeds the total from the previous epidemic before the latest figures were released. Health authorities report infections across 54 health zones within six provinces, with Ituri remaining the primary transmission hub, accounting for most confirmed cases.
The current outbreak was officially declared on May 15 following laboratory confirmation of Bundibugyo virus disease. This marks the 17th Ebola outbreak in the DRC since the virus was first identified in 1976. The World Health Organization designated the situation as a public health emergency of international concern on May 17. No licensed vaccine or specific approved treatment is available for Bundibugyo virus disease; instead, medical teams rely on supportive care, isolation, testing, contact tracing, and infection prevention measures.
Ebola Continues to Spread Across Multiple DRC Regions
The outbreak has now reached 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 prior to symptom onset. By August 12, health authorities had documented 965 recoveries across the country. Response teams are also monitoring thousands of contacts linked to confirmed cases to identify new transmission chains.
Medical personnel have encountered direct exposure risks while treating patients and supporting containment efforts. As of August 9, authorities confirmed at least 155 infections among health workers, with 45 fatalities. Ongoing insecurity and population displacement have hampered medical operations in several affected areas. Attacks on health facilities have further disrupted surveillance and treatment initiatives in parts of eastern DRC. The World Health Organization continues to assist with testing, infection control, case management, and response activities alongside national health authorities.
Escalating Response as Ebola Fatalities Reach New High
Efforts to combat the outbreak have included expanding laboratory testing, surveillance, and treatment capacity throughout affected provinces. Teams are actively tracing contacts, managing confirmed cases, and conducting safe burials. Community engagement remains vital in areas experiencing active transmission. Researchers are also investigating experimental vaccines and therapies for Bundibugyo virus disease, with a clinical trial enrolling confirmed patients in Ituri since July. These investigational products have not yet received approval for routine use against the virus.
Confirmed cases have also emerged outside the DRC. Uganda identified 20 cases and two deaths before discharging its last patient in July. France reported one imported case without documented secondary transmission. Currently, the DRC outbreak ranks as the second deadliest globally, following the 2014 to 2016 West Africa Ebola epidemic, which caused 11,310 deaths and 28,616 cases across Guinea, Liberia, and Sierra Leone, according to official outbreak records.