GENEVA / RankWire.AI / – According to the World Health Organization, Ebola transmission appears to be decreasing in some of the most affected regions of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. This positive trend is particularly evident in parts of Ituri province, which remains the epicenter of the outbreak. Nevertheless, the epidemic continues to expand in other areas, with official data up to Sept. 13 indicating a total of 7,258 confirmed cases and 3,510 deaths across seven provinces, resulting in a case fatality ratio of 48.4% across the nation.
While South Kivu has not reported new cases since May, the overall recovery rate across the country is improving. As of September 13, there have been 1,726 recoveries in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus expressed optimism regarding recent trends, citing encouraging signs after months of rapid transmission. He emphasized, however, that the epidemic still causes fatalities and continues to grow, affecting 62 health zones and highlighting significant differences between the impacted provinces.
Despite recent declines in transmission, Ituri remains the outbreak’s primary hotspot. Health officials report approximately 300 new cases and 160 deaths in the area during the latest weekly period, accounting for nearly half of the country’s total cases for that timeframe. Conversely, North Kivu is experiencing an upward trend, with weekly infections nearly doubling over two weeks—from about 100 cases to more than 200—as health teams monitor the spreading transmission.
North Kivu sees rising cases while Ituri’s transmission slows
The ongoing epidemic involves Bundibugyo virus disease, a strain of Ebola that has affected a broad geographic area since May. Ituri reports the majority of cumulative cases, with North Kivu ranking as the second most affected province. Haut-Uélé continues to experience ongoing transmission as well. Recently, the outbreak extended to Sud-Ubangi, increasing the number of affected provinces to seven. This expansion followed months of new cases being documented across northeastern and central regions of the country.
Health teams are actively engaged in clinical research as part of the response efforts, including trials for treatments and post-exposure prophylaxis. Community participation has also seen an uptick, supporting a more comprehensive response that involves surveillance, laboratory testing, contact tracing, isolation, and clinical treatment. Since transmission patterns vary significantly between provinces and health zones, officials are closely monitoring infection trends, recognizing that decreases in one area can be offset by rapid increases elsewhere.
Continued efforts across multiple health zones
The coordinated response involves national health authorities, WHO, Africa CDC, and numerous partner organizations working alongside frontline medical teams. Ongoing insecurity and population displacement remain major obstacles, complicating efforts to conduct surveillance, contact tracing, and provide timely medical care. Challenges also stem from operating within mining communities, informal settlements, and displacement sites, where health infrastructure, sanitation, and services are often limited. Despite these hurdles, response teams maintain operations across both urban centers and remote communities.
The latest data reveals significant progress in certain regions, such as South Kivu, which has not seen new cases for months, and Ituri, which has experienced a decline from previous high transmission levels. Meanwhile, North Kivu continues to report a notable rise in weekly infections. Authorities are analyzing each affected area independently due to the differing transmission dynamics observed across the country. The outbreak’s scale remains substantial, with more than 3,500 confirmed deaths underscoring its ongoing severity.