DR Congo Ebola Outbreak Becomes Deadliest in National History

The ongoing Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo has killed 2,325 people, according to government data released in mid-August. The figure exceeds the 2,299 deaths recorded during the 2018-2020 outbreak and makes the current epidemic the deadliest in the country's history.

Confirmed cases stand at 4,945. Nearly 100 new cases are being recorded every 24 hours. The case-fatality rate has risen to around 46 percent. In the most recent reporting week, 579 cases and 304 deaths were logged, the highest weekly totals so far.

The outbreak was declared on 15 May and is driven by the Bundibugyo species of the virus. No approved vaccine or specific therapeutic exists for this strain, unlike the Zaire species that dominated earlier epidemics. Several candidate vaccines are in development, including one based on the platform used for the AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccine.

Health workers have recorded 155 confirmed infections and 45 deaths among their ranks. The virus has spread to six of the country's 26 provinces. Armed conflict, population movement and delays in detection have hindered containment.

The World Health Organization has described the pace of transmission as exceptional. It took the 2014-2016 West Africa epidemic nearly five months to reach 1,000 fatalities. The current outbreak crossed that threshold in a fraction of the time.

Only a handful of cases have been confirmed outside Congo: 20 in Uganda, two treated in Germany and one in France. The International Health Regulations Emergency Committee continues to monitor the situation.

The combination of a novel strain, high fatality and weak health infrastructure in conflict zones creates a durable public-health risk that will require sustained international support and local cooperation to bring under control.