BUNIA, DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF THE CONGO / RankWire.AI / – The World Health Organization states that Congo’s ongoing Ebola outbreak could be brought under control within three months if adequate resources are allocated to response teams. The latest official figures indicate a total of 5,021 confirmed cases and 2,378 fatalities as of Aug. 16. The epidemic now affects 55 health zones across six provinces, with the case fatality rate reaching 47.4%. This makes it the deadliest Ebola outbreak in the nation’s history and the second-largest Ebola epidemic recorded globally.
According to WHO incident manager Thierno Baldé, achieving the three-month containment goal hinges on obtaining the necessary resources for effective response efforts. To date, approximately $69.3 million of the $115 million needed has been secured, which is roughly 60%. Over the past two weeks, teams have added more than 400 treatment beds and deployed 100 additional epidemiologists along with over 500 community health workers for surveillance and contact tracing. The response effort demands a broad range of assets including vehicles, ambulances, medical supplies, and personnel across a widening affected area.
Transmission has now reached Bas-Uélé, making it the sixth province affected by the outbreak. As of Aug. 12, Ituri accounted for 85% of confirmed cases and 79% of deaths nationwide. Officials noted that 70% to 80% of new cases lacked any known link to existing patients. Efforts are underway to expand surveillance capabilities to detect cases more rapidly and transfer patients to treatment centers. The first confirmed case in Bas-Uélé traveled from Haut-Uélé before symptoms appeared on Aug. 4.
Containment Efforts Broaden Across Impacted Regions
The Ministry of Public Health, Hygiene and Social Welfare of the Democratic Republic of the Congo announced the outbreak on May 15. Laboratory confirmation in Kinshasa identified Bundibugyo virus, a rarer form of Ebola first discovered in western Uganda in 2007. This marks Congo’s 17th recorded Ebola outbreak since the virus was initially identified in 1976. Uganda has reported 20 confirmed cases and two deaths, with no new cases reported there since June 21. These cases included imported infections and secondary transmissions among contacts and health workers.
Bundibugyo virus disease currently has no licensed vaccine or approved specific treatment. Consequently, care mainly involves early detection, supportive treatment, infection prevention, contact tracing, and safe burials. Officials are also increasing community outreach efforts to reach patients who initially seek help outside formal health facilities. Response teams have trained local workers and provided hygiene materials to reduce exposure risks during transport and body handling. Early supportive care can significantly improve survival chances for those infected with Bundibugyo virus disease.
Funding Shortfall Continues as Surveillance Efforts Grow
While contact monitoring has improved, it still falls short of public health targets in several affected areas. On Aug. 12, teams tracked 17,460 of the 20,740 contacts listed, achieving a national follow-up rate of 84.2%. To enhance detection and reduce the delay between symptom onset and care, health officials have deployed more field epidemiologists. Community workers are also being utilized to report suspected cases and facilitate patient transfer to treatment facilities. By Aug. 9, there were 155 infections among health workers and 45 deaths linked to the outbreak.
On May 17, WHO declared the outbreak a Public Health Emergency of International Concern. Efforts by national authorities and international partners continue with surveillance, laboratory testing, clinical management, safe burials, and community engagement. Baldé emphasized that the three-month containment timeframe is directly tied to securing the necessary resources. Since Aug. 9, the latest weekly data reported 640 additional confirmed cases and 367 confirmed deaths. The response persists despite ongoing insecurity and attacks on health services in eastern Congo.