Confirmed cases in the Democratic Republic of Congo’s (DRC) ongoing Ebola outbreak have reached 3,262, according to an overnight update from the Ministry of Health. This figure nearly matches the 2018-2020 outbreak, which remains the largest ever recorded in the country. Health officials report that 1,437 patients have died during the current crisis, which is concentrated in the eastern Ituri province and is officially considered the fastest-moving Ebola outbreak on record.
The previous 2018-2020 outbreak, which spanned the DRC and neighbouring Uganda, lasted approximately two years and resulted in more than 3,400 cases and over 2,200 deaths, according to data from the US Centers for Disease Control. By comparison, the deadliest outbreak in history remains the 2014-2016 crisis across West Africa, which saw 28,000 cases and more than 11,000 fatalities.
Onesphore Bangenza, the Mercy Corps response team lead in Bunia, the capital of Ituri, expressed deep concern on Tuesday. He noted that reaching such a high case count in only 10 weeks is alarming and indicates that the virus is spreading faster than containment efforts can manage. The response is currently hindered by several factors, including rebel violence in the eastern region, health worker strikes over unpaid wages, and difficulties in identifying patient zero. Furthermore, displacement caused by armed conflict and illegal mining activities has complicated efforts to trace thousands of individuals who may have been exposed to the virus.
There is also growing concern among residents that many communities in affected provinces have become unreachable, or have been abandoned by responders due to safety risks posed by angry locals and rebel groups. Despite these obstacles, some progress is being reported. Fabrice Mumbesa, a resident of the mining town of Mongbwalu—a focal point of the outbreak where treatment centres were previously burned down—stated that the community now recognizes the importance of working with health teams. He emphasized that the community has a vested interest in fighting the virus to return to a normal life. This outbreak, declared on May 15, is particularly challenging as it involves the Bundibugyo virus, for which there are currently no approved vaccines or treatments.
