KINSHASA, DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF THE CONGO / RankWire.AI / – According to official figures through Aug. 7, the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo has resulted in 1,916 deaths. Authorities have identified a total of 4,209 infections during this ongoing crisis. The current death toll is 29 higher than the previously reported figure of 1,887. Additionally, 595 patients are in isolation receiving treatment, while 828 have recovered from the disease.
Ituri remains the most affected province, with 3,636 confirmed cases and 1,551 fatalities. North Kivu reports 470 cases and 315 deaths. Haut Uele has documented 91 infections and 44 deaths, Tshopo has nine cases and five deaths, and South Kivu has three cases with one death. The outbreak now impacts 53 of the 140 health zones across the five provinces reporting confirmed infections.
The latest daily update added 89 confirmed cases and 21 deaths to the national totals. Of these, 73 new infections occurred in Ituri. North Kivu reported an additional 12 cases, with Haut Uele adding four. Health teams are monitoring 83.4% of identified contacts in affected regions. Officials are also working to reconcile surveillance, laboratory, and clinical records as they revise case and mortality numbers.
Ituri remains the epicenter of expanding outbreak
The Democratic Republic of the Congo announced the outbreak in May after laboratory testing confirmed the presence of Bundibugyo virus. The Ministry of Health has led efforts in surveillance, testing, isolation, contact tracing, and clinical management across the affected areas. Measures to prevent infection and ensure safe burials are also in place to curb further transmission. The virus has spread to several eastern provinces, where insecurity, population movement, and overwhelmed health services complicate disease control efforts.
Ebola can cause symptoms such as fever, severe weakness, body pain, vomiting, and other serious health issues. As the disease progresses, some patients may experience bleeding. This outbreak marks the 17th Ebola incident recorded in the country since scientists identified the virus in 1976. The World Health Organization has supported response efforts including case detection, laboratory testing, patient care, and infection prevention as health teams monitor transmission across multiple provinces.
Bundibugyo virus has no licensed vaccine
Bundibugyo virus differs from the Zaire Ebola species targeted by existing licensed vaccines. Currently, there is no licensed vaccine or specifically approved treatment for Bundibugyo virus disease. Medical teams rely on supportive care such as hydration, symptom management, and close patient monitoring. Research efforts continue to evaluate potential vaccines and experimental treatments. By late July, Uganda had reported 20 confirmed Bundibugyo cases and two deaths, with no new confirmed cases after June 21.
This outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo represents the largest documented epidemic caused by Bundibugyo virus and is now the second-largest Ebola outbreak on record in terms of confirmed cases. Most infections and fatalities are concentrated in Ituri and North Kivu. Public health officials continue to conduct laboratory testing, monitor contacts, isolate patients, and update national case counts as new surveillance data becomes available.