Ebola cases in DRC surpass 8,000 as outbreak continues to expand

The Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) continues to pose a major public health challenge, with transmission persisting across multiple provinces and the geographic reach of the outbreak expanding. The rising number of cases and continued community transmission are increasing risks for affected populations and neighboring areas.

According to the DRC health authorities, as of Saturday, the country had recorded 8,067 confirmed Ebola cases, including 3,901 deaths. The case fatality rate stands at 48.4 percent, while 2,070 patients have recovered.

In its latest Disease Outbreak News published Friday, the World Health Organization (WHO) said the number of new cases reported each day remained high, although transmission intensity varied considerably among affected provinces and health zones.

“The continuously high case fatality ratio, and especially the continuous high rate of deaths occurring in communities, highlights the seriousness of the disease and the persistent challenges in timely case detection and access to early and adequate patient care,” the WHO said.

Ituri Province remains the epicenter of the outbreak, but the situation differs across regions. Incidence in Ituri has gradually declined from a peak in mid-August, while North Kivu Province has recorded a substantial increase, reaching its highest reported level in mid-September. Sustained transmission continues in Haut-Uele Province, while renewed transmission activity has also been reported in Tshopo Province.

The outbreak has now affected 63 health zones across seven provinces. The WHO warned that further geographic expansion, including newly affected areas in Sud-Ubangi and Haut-Uele, has increased the risk of cross-border transmission.

Since the outbreak was declared in May, it has become the largest and deadliest Ebola outbreak ever recorded in the DRC and the second-largest Ebola outbreak globally, after the 2014–2016 West Africa epidemic.

As reported by CCTV+, the Ebola outbreak in the DRC continues to be marked by sustained transmission, a high case fatality rate and an expanding geographic footprint.