DR Congo's Ebola Outbreak Becomes Country's Largest On Record

DR Congo's current Ebola outbreak has become the country's largest on record, with 3,532 confirmed cases and 1,556 deaths across five provinces, surpassing the 2018–2020 epidemic. Health experts describe it as the fastest-spreading Ebola outbreak ever, driven by the Bundibugyo strain, for which no approved vaccine currently exists. Ongoing conflict in eastern DR Congo is hampering containment efforts, while international agencies are calling for increased support as vaccine research accelerates.

The Democratic Republic of Congo (DR Congo) is battling its largest-ever Ebola outbreak after confirmed infections surpassed the total number recorded during the country's deadliest epidemic between 2018 and 2020.
Health authorities announced on Friday that the latest outbreak has now reached 3,532 confirmed cases, with 1,556 deaths, spreading across five provinces and becoming the world's second-largest Ebola epidemic on record.
The previous outbreak, which lasted from 2018 to 2020, infected about 3,500 people and claimed nearly 2,300 lives.

FASTEST-SPREADING EBOLA EPIDEMIC

Humanitarian agencies have warned that the current outbreak is spreading at an unprecedented pace.
Carl Skau, Acting Executive Director of the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP), described it as the fastest-growing Ebola outbreak ever recorded.
He urged the international community to increase support, warning that the crisis requires far greater global attention.
The Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) also reported that the outbreak has proved significantly more lethal than previous epidemics, with deaths during its first three months occurring at five times the rate recorded during earlier outbreaks.

SECOND-LARGEST OUTBREAK IN HISTORY

Globally, only the devastating 2014–2016 West African Ebola epidemic was larger.
That outbreak affected Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone, resulting in more than 28,000 confirmed cases and over 11,000 deaths.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), Ebola is a severe viral disease transmitted through direct contact with infected bodily fluids or infected animals.
Without rapid diagnosis and treatment, the disease can be fatal.

NO APPROVED VACCINE FOR CURRENT STRAIN

The current outbreak is being driven by the Bundibugyo strain of the Ebola virus.
Unlike the Zaire strain, which has licensed vaccines and treatments, there is currently no approved vaccine specifically targeting the Bundibugyo variant.
Scientists are, however, racing to develop effective vaccines.
The WHO has identified a vaccine under development by Singapore-based Hilleman Laboratories as one of the most promising candidates.
Meanwhile, researchers at the University of Oxford have also begun clinical trials of another Bundibugyo vaccine, with the first volunteer receiving a dose last week.

CONFLICT COMPLICATES RESPONSE

The outbreak is centred in Ituri Province in northeastern DR Congo, close to the borders with Uganda and South Sudan.
Health officials warn that insecurity is making containment efforts increasingly difficult.
The virus has already spread into North Kivu and South Kivu, provinces where armed conflict involving the Rwanda-backed M23 rebel group has disrupted healthcare delivery and humanitarian access.
Violence, displacement and limited access to remote communities have complicated surveillance, contact tracing and vaccination efforts.

CASES CONTINUE TO RISE

Officials say the true scale of the outbreak may be even higher than confirmed figures suggest.
Confirmed infections increased dramatically from around 2,000 cases in mid-July to more than 3,500 within a matter of weeks.
Health authorities continue to strengthen surveillance, treatment and public awareness campaigns while international organisations increase emergency support.

LONG HISTORY OF EBOLA IN DR CONGO

DR Congo has experienced more Ebola outbreaks than any other country since the virus was first identified near the Ebola River in 1976.
Although previous outbreaks were eventually contained through coordinated public health measures, experts warn that ongoing armed conflict, weak healthcare infrastructure and population displacement are making the current epidemic significantly more difficult to control.
Public health officials stress that rapid international assistance, stronger disease surveillance and accelerated vaccine development will be critical to preventing the outbreak from expanding further across Central Africa.