Kinshasa: The Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo has passed 6,000 confirmed cases and claimed nearly 3,000 lives, as health authorities struggle to contain transmission in parts of the country affected by insecurity, displacement and limited health services.
The DRC Ministry of Communications said on August 31 that 6,041 confirmed cases had been recorded, including 2,911 deaths and 1,366 recoveries. Another 619 patients were in isolation or hospitalised.
The outbreak is the largest Ebola outbreak ever recorded in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. It has affected 60 health zones across six provinces: Ituri, North Kivu, South Kivu, Haut Uele, Bas Uele and Tshopo.
Ituri remains the main centre of the outbreak, with North Kivu also among the worst affected areas. The expansion into new health zones has made it more difficult for health authorities to identify infections, trace contacts and interrupt chains of transmission.
The outbreak was officially declared on May 15 after an increase in severe illness and deaths in Ituri province. Health officials believe the virus may have been circulating for several months before the outbreak was detected.
The disease is caused by Bundibugyo virus, a less common species of Ebola virus. Unlike the Zaire species of Ebola, for which an approved vaccine is available, there is currently no licensed vaccine specifically approved for Bundibugyo virus disease and no specific approved treatment for the disease.
Congo began vaccinating frontline health workers and other responders with the Ervebo vaccine on August 27. Ervebo has been shown to protect against the Zaire species of Ebola, but its effectiveness against Bundibugyo virus is not yet known.
The vaccination campaign is therefore also being used to support research into whether Ervebo can provide protection against the Bundibugyo virus. Researchers are also studying possible vaccines and treatments specifically designed for the strain.
The rapid increase in reported cases reflects both continued transmission and improved surveillance and testing. The World Health Organization has said that better detection has contributed to the rise in reported cases, but that continued transmission and the geographical expansion of the outbreak account for most of the increase.
The response faces serious challenges in eastern Congo. Armed conflict and population displacement have made access to some communities difficult. Large movements of people along roads, rivers and mining routes are also increasing the risk of further spread.
Many infections are being detected among people who were not being monitored through contact tracing. This makes it harder for response teams to identify transmission chains and act quickly when new cases occur.
Security has also become a major concern for health workers. Response teams have faced attacks while carrying out activities including contact tracing and safe burials.
In one recent incident near Mambasa in Ituri province, an Ebola response team was attacked while trying to secure the body of a person suspected of having died from Ebola. One response worker was injured.
Safe burials are an important part of Ebola control because people who die from the disease can still carry infectious virus. However, burial activities can also create tensions with families and communities, especially where trust in health authorities is weak.
The World Health Organization continues to classify the outbreak as a Public Health Emergency of International Concern. It has assessed the risk within the Democratic Republic of the Congo as very high and the risk for countries sharing a land border with the country as high.
Uganda, the Central African Republic and South Sudan are among the countries of particular concern because of their proximity to affected areas and significant population movement.
Uganda has, however, successfully ended its own Bundibugyo Ebola outbreak. The country recorded 20 confirmed cases and two deaths before completing 42 consecutive days without a new confirmed case.
The risk outside the affected region remains much lower. The WHO has assessed the risk to the rest of Africa and the global level as low and has advised against restrictions on travel or trade with affected countries.
The current outbreak has already surpassed Congo's previous largest Ebola outbreak, which lasted from 2018 to 2020 and recorded 3,317 cases.
The 2014 to 2016 Ebola outbreak in West Africa remains the largest Ebola outbreak recorded globally and the deadliest, with more than 11,000 deaths. The WHO has warned that the current epidemic in Congo could eventually reach or exceed that scale if transmission is not brought under control.
For now, health authorities are focusing on early detection, isolation and supportive care, contact tracing, safe burials, vaccination research, protection of health workers and stronger cooperation with affected communities.
The continuing rise in cases shows that although response capacity has improved in some areas, transmission remains active and Congo has not yet succeeded in bringing the outbreak under control.