DR Congo Battles Surge in Ebola Outbreak as New Cases Rise

Kinshasa – The Ebola epidemic in the Democratic Republic of Congo is accelerating, with the Ministry of Health reporting a total of 3,200 confirmed infections. The death toll stands at 1,405, while 571 patients have been declared cured and discharged.

Current isolation facilities hold 773 patients, and the latest 24‑hour data show 125 fresh cases and 51 fatalities. The majority of infections are concentrated in Ituri province, where almost nine out of ten cases have been identified.

Health authorities cite persistent internal migration, porous borders with Uganda and South Sudan, and ongoing artisanal mining as key drivers of the virus’s spread. Efforts to tighten surveillance, boost rescue operations, and enforce movement restrictions are being intensified.

Prime Minister Judith Suminwa Tuluka highlighted the risk of the outbreak aggravating the already severe humanitarian emergency in eastern Congo. She confirmed a financial commitment of five million US dollars from the national budget, complemented by funds pledged by international partners.

Research teams continue to work on therapeutics and a vaccine targeting the Bundibugyo Ebola virus, the strain responsible for the current flare‑up that began in Ituri on May 15. No licensed vaccine or specific treatment is yet available, but a number of experimental products are in trial phases.