GENEVA / RankWire.AI / – The World Health Organization has called for a major expansion of the Ebola response in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said health teams still have not identified every chain of transmission. Congo had recorded 6,250 confirmed cases and 3,039 deaths as of Sept. 1, according to the latest government figures. The Bundibugyo Ebola outbreak now affects 60 health zones across six provinces.
The epidemic has become Congo’s largest and deadliest Ebola outbreak on record. It is also the second-largest Ebola outbreak globally, after the 2014-2016 epidemic in West Africa. Ituri remains the center of the current emergency, accounting for about 85% of cases and 88% of deaths. Tedros said many deaths involve people who were not listed as known contacts, showing that health teams are still missing transmission chains.
Community deaths and unsafe burials remain major obstacles to controlling the outbreak. More than 60% of deaths recorded during the latest seven-day period occurred in communities, according to Africa CDC. Health officials have also reported delays in detecting infections and bringing patients into treatment centers. Congo’s latest government data showed 1,439 recoveries and a case fatality rate of 48.6%, reflecting the severe impact of the Bundibugyo virus.
Transmission remains active across eastern Congo
Transmission remains active in 51 health zones, even as authorities have recorded signs of lower case numbers in recent weeks. Four health zones have reported no new cases for more than 42 days and have interrupted transmission. Another five have gone between 21 and 42 days without a new case. Public health officials have cautioned that the decline remains too recent to show that the nationwide Ebola outbreak is under control.
The World Health Organization has expanded testing, treatment and field support across affected areas. It has shipped more than 330 tonnes of emergency supplies and deployed more than 300 experts. Laboratory capacity has grown from one national reference laboratory to a network of 24 laboratories closer to affected communities. Testing capacity has reached about 3,000 tests a day, while treatment and isolation capacity has expanded to more than 1,300 beds across 49 facilities.
Health response expands as outbreak persists
The outbreak involves the Bundibugyo species of Ebola, which currently has no approved specific treatment or vaccine. Researchers are conducting therapeutic trials, while vaccine candidates designed for the Bundibugyo virus are undergoing safety studies. Health authorities have continued surveillance, contact tracing, laboratory testing, clinical care and safe burial operations. The response also includes community engagement because delayed detection and incomplete contact follow-up have complicated efforts to identify infected people before further transmission occurs.
Congo declared the outbreak in Ituri province on May 15 after authorities confirmed infections linked to the Bundibugyo virus. It has since spread across Ituri, North Kivu, South Kivu, Haut-Uélé, Tshopo and Bas-Uélé provinces. Tedros said the response must expand until health teams can identify and break every transmission chain. Officials continue to focus on rapid detection, contact follow-up, safe burials, laboratory diagnosis and access to treatment across affected communities.