GENEVA / RankWire.AI / – The World Health Organization has emphasized the need for an extensive expansion of the Ebola response within the Democratic Republic of the Congo. According to Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, health teams have yet to trace every chain of transmission. As of Sept. 1, government reports confirmed 6,250 cases and 3,039 fatalities in Congo. The ongoing Bundibugyo Ebola outbreak now spans 60 health zones across six provinces.
This outbreak has become Congo’s most extensive and deadliest Ebola event to date. It ranks as the second-largest Ebola outbreak worldwide, surpassed only by the 2014-2016 West Africa epidemic. Ituri remains the epicenter of this crisis, representing approximately 85% of cases and 88% of deaths. Tedros pointed out that many of the fatalities involve individuals not listed as known contacts, indicating that health teams are still missing vital links in transmission pathways.
Persistent community deaths and unsafe burial practices continue to impede efforts to contain the outbreak. According to Africa CDC, over 60% of deaths during the last week occurred in community settings. Health officials also report delays in identifying cases and admitting patients to treatment centers. The latest government figures show 1,439 recoveries and a case fatality rate of 48.6%, highlighting the severe impact of the Bundibugyo strain of the virus.
Transmission persists across eastern Congo
Transmission remains active in 51 health zones, despite signs of a recent decline in case numbers. 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 infections. Public health authorities warn that these reductions are too recent to confirm that the Ebola outbreak nationwide is fully under control.
In response, the WHO has increased testing, treatment, and operational support across affected areas. Over 330 tonnes of emergency supplies have been dispatched, and more than 300 specialists deployed. Laboratory capacity has grown from a single national reference lab to a network of 24 laboratories situated closer to affected communities. Daily testing capacity is now around 3,000 tests, while treatment and isolation beds have expanded to over 1,300 across 49 health facilities.
Ongoing response efforts as outbreak endures
This outbreak involves the Bundibugyo strain of Ebola, which currently lacks an approved specific treatment or vaccine. Researchers are conducting therapeutic trials, and vaccine candidates aimed at the Bundibugyo virus are undergoing safety assessments. Health authorities continue active surveillance, contact tracing, laboratory testing, clinical treatment, and safe burial operations. Community engagement remains crucial, as delayed detection and incomplete contact follow-up hinder efforts to identify infected individuals before additional transmission occurs.
Congo announced the outbreak in Ituri province on May 15, following confirmation of infections linked to the Bundibugyo strain. Since then, it has spread to North Kivu, South Kivu, Haut-Uélé, Tshopo, and Bas-Uélé provinces. Tedros stressed that the response must intensify until every transmission chain is identified and broken. Efforts continue to prioritize rapid detection, contact follow-up, safe burial practices, laboratory diagnosis, and treatment accessibility across the affected regions.