Kinshasa: More than 30 people have died in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) following a new Ebola outbreak declared earlier this month, the World Health Organization (WHO) has confirmed. The outbreak, centered in Bulape in Kasai Province, has so far resulted in 48 confirmed and probable cases, with 31 fatalities.

Health officials have swiftly mobilized response measures, including vaccinations, treatment, and contact tracing. An initial shipment of 400 doses of the Ervebo Ebola vaccine from the DRC’s 2,000-dose stockpile has been deployed to the epicenter. Vaccination campaigns have begun for frontline health workers and the close contacts of infected individuals.

To bolster treatment efforts, the WHO has delivered more than 14 tonnes of essential medical supplies and established an Ebola treatment center in Bulape, where 16 patients are currently receiving care. Encouragingly, the first two patients have recovered and been discharged.

Authorities are also intensifying surveillance, with more than 900 contacts of confirmed cases now under monitoring. However, the scale of tracing highlights the challenges of preventing further spread in a region with limited infrastructure and health resources.

While no cases have been reported outside the DRC, the outbreak has drawn international attention. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has issued a health advisory but maintains that the risk of the virus spreading to the United States is low.

This is the DRC’s first Ebola outbreak in three years. The virus, which can persist in survivors for years and resurface, is known to thrive in the dense tropical forests of central Africa. Past outbreaks in the country have demonstrated how quickly the disease can escalate without strong containment measures.

Health experts stress the urgency of maintaining rapid vaccination efforts, strengthening contact tracing, and ensuring safe burial practices to curb the epidemic. The WHO has underscored that continued global support will be critical in preventing the outbreak from expanding beyond Kasai Province.