The Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has surpassed 5,000 confirmed cases, with the death toll rising to 2,378 as health officials warn that efforts to contain the deadly disease are struggling to keep pace with its spread.
The country’s public health institute has recorded 5,021 confirmed cases, making the outbreak the largest Ebola epidemic in the DRC’s history and the second-worst recorded globally, behind the 2014–2016 epidemic in West Africa.
The outbreak, declared on May 15, is caused by the Bundibugyo strain of the Ebola virus. There are currently no approved vaccines or specific treatments for the strain, adding to the challenges facing health authorities.
The virus has spread across 55 health zones in six provinces, with weak healthcare infrastructure, insecurity, population movement and resistance from some communities complicating efforts to detect cases and contain transmission.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) has warned that the outbreak is “far from being under control”, with the risk of further spread within the DRC and to neighbouring countries remaining high.
WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said the epidemic was spreading at an unprecedented pace, while the public health response was struggling to keep up.
The situation has been particularly difficult in eastern DRC, where insecurity and frequent population movements have hampered surveillance, contact tracing and access to treatment.
Health workers have also faced attacks and resistance in some affected communities. In Ituri province, one of the worst-hit areas, residents recently attacked a health team following a suspected Ebola case, setting an ambulance on fire and damaging other vehicles.
The latest figures mean the current epidemic has surpassed the 2,299 deaths recorded during the DRC’s 2018–2020 Ebola outbreak, previously the country’s deadliest.
Health authorities and international partners are stepping up surveillance, treatment and community engagement efforts in an attempt to slow transmission and prevent the virus from spreading further across the region.
The scale and speed of the outbreak have placed additional pressure on an already fragile health system, with authorities facing the challenge of reaching affected communities while maintaining the cooperation of residents and protecting frontline health workers.
