According to government data, the Ebola outbreak in the DRC has resulted in the death of over 4,000 people, with approximately 8,300 confirmed cases registered across seven provinces. More than two thousand patients among those infected have recovered.
The outbreak, caused by the Bundibugyo virus, began in May and has become the largest and deadliest Ebola outbreak in the history of the DRC. Currently, it is the second-largest Ebola outbreak globally after the 2014–2016 epidemic in West Africa.
Médecins Sans Frontières warned that the actual number of victims could be higher due to challenges in case detection caused by instability and gaps in the surveillance system.
MSF also reported that one of its staff members involved in the response has been infected with the virus and is currently undergoing medical evacuation to the Netherlands.
Meanwhile, thousands of people left an internally displaced persons camp in eastern DRC after a fire destroyed a key Ebola treatment transit center, raising concerns about containment efforts.
The UN warned that the escalation of violence in eastern Congo further disrupts response efforts, as people flee the Kigonzo IDP camp in the Ituri province following the fire. The displacement of these people may complicate contact tracing and prevent further spread of the virus.
