BUNIA, DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF THE CONGO / RankWire.AI / – The World Health Organization states that Congo’s Ebola crisis can still be contained within three months if adequate resources are allocated to response teams. The most recent official data reports 5,021 confirmed cases and 2,378 fatalities as of Aug. 16. Currently, cases are distributed across 55 health zones in six provinces, with the case fatality ratio reaching 47.4%. This toll makes it the deadliest Ebola outbreak in the history of the country and the second-largest Ebola epidemic ever recorded worldwide.
Thierno Baldé, incident manager at WHO, emphasized that the three-month goal hinges on acquiring the necessary resources for effective response. So far, the agency has obtained approximately $69.3 million of the $115 million it states is required, roughly 60%. Over the past two weeks, teams have added more than 400 treatment beds, deploying 100 additional epidemiologists along with over 500 community health workers for surveillance and contact tracing efforts. The containment effort demands vehicles, ambulances, medical supplies, and personnel across an expanding affected area.
The virus has now reached Bas-Uélé, making it the sixth affected province. As of Aug. 12, Ituri represented 85% of confirmed cases and 79% of all reported deaths nationwide. Officials report that 70% to 80% of new cases have no known connection to existing patients. To accelerate case identification and patient transfer into treatment centers, health teams are expanding surveillance activities. The first confirmed case in Bas-Uélé traveled from Haut-Uélé prior to the onset of symptoms on Aug. 4.
Expansion of response efforts across affected regions
The Ministry of Public Health, Hygiene and Social Welfare of the Democratic Republic of the Congo announced the outbreak on May 15. Laboratory testing conducted in Kinshasa confirmed the presence of Bundibugyo virus, a less common Ebola strain first identified in western Uganda in 2007. Since the virus was first discovered in 1976, this marks Congo’s 17th Ebola outbreak. In Uganda, 20 confirmed cases and two deaths have been reported, with no new cases since June 21. Those cases included imported infections and secondary transmission among contacts and healthcare workers.
Bundibugyo virus disease currently lacks a licensed vaccine or specific approved treatment. Consequently, care centers around early detection, supportive treatment, infection control measures, contact tracing, and safe burials. Authorities are also intensifying community outreach efforts where patients may initially seek help outside formal health facilities. Response teams have trained local personnel and supplied 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 persists amid expanding surveillance
While contact tracing has improved, it still falls short of public health targets in several affected regions. As of Aug. 12, teams monitored 17,460 of 20,740 contacts listed, achieving a follow-up rate of 84.2%. To enhance detection and reduce the delay between symptom onset and treatment, health officials have deployed additional field epidemiologists. Community workers are also being used to report suspected cases and facilitate patient transfers to treatment centers. Up to Aug. 9, there have been 155 infections among healthcare workers and 45 deaths documented.
The WHO declared this outbreak a Public Health Emergency of International Concern on May 17. Both national authorities and international partners continue ongoing efforts involving surveillance, laboratory testing, clinical care, safe burial practices, and community engagement. Baldé emphasized that the three-month containment plan depends heavily on securing the needed resources. Since Aug. 9, the weekly count has increased by 640 confirmed cases and 367 confirmed deaths. The response also faces challenges posed by insecurity and attacks on health services in eastern Congo.