The municipal health director of Songo, Etelvino Alberto, informed the Angolan news agency Angop that vaccines are being administered and other actions are being implemented to curb the growth of measles cases in the municipality.
Measles is characterized as a highly transmissible viral disease; however, its occurrence can be prevented through preventive measures. The disease poses a risk of fatality, especially among children who have not been vaccinated.
According to the latest report released by the Congolese Ministry of Communication, with data collected until Thursday, the number of Ebola-related deaths has risen to 1,887. This figure represents an increase of 37 confirmed deaths compared to what was announced on Friday by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).
The Congolese Government also reported that the number of infected individuals has grown, reaching 4,120 people, an increase from the 4,053 recorded on Friday. The fatality rate, calculated as the proportion of deaths relative to the total number of sick people, rose to 45.8%, slightly up from the 45.7% previously reported by the Government.
The Congolese Ministry of Communication detailed that 721 patients are in isolation or hospitalized, while 810 people have recovered from the disease. Furthermore, the contact tracing rate was registered at 83.7%.
So far, five Congolese provinces have been affected by the Ebola epidemic: Ituri, which is the epicenter of the outbreak; North Kivu, South Kivu, and Haut-Uele, located in the east, in addition to Tshopo, situated in the north-central region, according to the Government.
The Congolese ministry specified that the epidemic remains concentrated in 53 health units distributed across these five provinces, with Ituri being responsible for 86.5% of the accumulated cases.
On Friday, the current epidemic was classified as the second largest outbreak in recorded history and the largest in terms of infections in the DRC. This scenario surpasses the outbreak that occurred in the eastern part of the country between 2018 and 2020, which resulted in 2,299 deaths and 3,481 cases, as reported by the Spanish agency Efe.
According to the same source, this mark represents the seventeenth epidemic to affect the DRC and has the fastest documented growth rate of infections, according to the World Health Organization (WHO).
Although the current epidemic was declared on May 15th in Ituri (a border province with South Sudan and Uganda), it still does not compare to the worst in history, which occurred in West Africa between 2014 and 2016, causing approximately 11,000 deaths and 28,000 infections, according to Efe.
The epidemic in question is associated with the Bundibugyo strain, whose fatality rate fluctuates between 30% and 50%. The World Health Organization clarifies that there is no authorized vaccine or specific treatment for this strain.
The Ebola virus is transmitted through direct contact with body fluids of infected humans or animals and can cause severe hemorrhagic fever, vomiting, diarrhea, and internal bleeding.
According to the Congolese Ministry of Health, data collected up to August 4 indicates that the current mortality rate associated with Ebola has reached 45.3%. Currently, 674 individuals are hospitalized or in isolation, while 776 people are recovering from the illness.
The contact tracing rate was recorded at 75.3%. The Ebola outbreak has affected five provinces in the Democratic Republic of Congo: Ituri, which serves as the epicenter of the epidemic, along with North Kivu, South Kivu, Haut-Uele (located in the east), and Tshopo (situated in the north-central region).
The National Institute of Public Health (INSP) of the Democratic Republic of Congo warned that, despite no new geographical spread in the 24 hours prior to the report, the epidemic remains in a phase of continuous transmission, characterized by high viral circulation.
This represents the seventeenth Ebola outbreak to affect the DRC. The World Health Organization (WHO) noted that this outbreak shows the fastest growth in infections compared to any other outbreak since its beginning.
However, the situation is still below the worst Ebola epidemic in history, which occurred in West Africa between 2014 and 2016, resulting in about 11,000 deaths and 28,000 infections.
The neighboring country, Uganda, where the disease also spread, announced it was Ebola-free on July 28, after confirming 20 cases, 15 of which were classified as imported from the DRC, of which two deaths were recorded.
The outbreak in question is related to the Bundibugyo strain, whose fatality rate fluctuates between 30% and 50%, and for which the WHO reports that there is no authorized vaccine or specific treatment. The Ebola virus is transmitted through direct contact with body fluids of infected humans or animals, causing severe hemorrhagic fever, vomiting, diarrhea, and internal bleeding.
According to the latest report issued by the National Directorate of Public Health (DNSP), Mozambique recorded a total of 9,553 cholera cases between September 3, 2025, and July 25, 2026.
Nampula province was the most affected, accounting for 3,986 infections and registering 39 deaths. The second most affected province was Tete, with 2,974 cases and 33 deaths. Cabo Delgado also registered a significant number of infections, totaling 1,137 cases and eight deaths.
Other affected provinces include Sofala, with 921 cases and four deaths; Manica, with 386 infections and three deaths; Zambezia, which accumulated 146 cases and two deaths. In Maputo, three cases were reported, with no fatalities recorded, while the city of Maputo itself reported one isolated case.
In the last 24 hours, five new cases were reported, of which four patients were hospitalized and one was treated on an outpatient basis. During this same period, six medical discharges were granted, there was one readmission, but no deaths were reported. Currently, there are 12 patients hospitalized across the national territory due to the disease.
Official data indicates that the overall mortality rate remains at 0.9%, while the in-hospital mortality rate is 0.3%.
Since the beginning of the epidemic, the national health system has recorded a total of 5,806 hospitalizations, 3,747 outpatient attendances, 9,452 hospital discharges, 29 readmissions, and 16 cases of treatment abandonment.
A new Anticipatory Action Framework from the United Nations for cholera in Mozambique foresees the availability of funding of up to 1.7 million euros to allow for rapid interventions before outbreaks worsen, as is currently happening.
This document was formally approved on May 22 by the structures of the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA). It establishes a mechanism that links epidemiological data to immediate funding, enabling early action to prevent larger crises.
The anticipatory framework approved by OCHA stipulates that the response must be triggered based on weekly data on acute watery diarrhea, which allows for the rapid identification of unusual increases in cases. When predefined limits are exceeded, measures are automatically activated, eliminating delays in resource mobilization.
A central pillar of this mechanism is pre-positioned funding through the Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF), which will allocate up to 1.5 million dollars (equivalent to 1.3 million euros) for a two-year period. Each activation can release 750,000 dollars (650,000 euros), allowing for two rapid interventions within that timeframe.
In addition to direct support from CERF, the plan includes co-financing by partner agencies, raising the total mobilizable amount to almost two million dollars (1.7 million euros), including extra funds designated for preparation and execution on the ground.
The document highlights that cholera continues to pose a serious public health threat in Mozambique. Recurring outbreaks are linked to the lack of access to potable water, inadequate sanitation conditions, and extreme weather events, such as floods and cyclones.
