The Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo has become the deadliest in the country’s history, with more than 2,300 deaths recorded since the outbreak began.
According to the latest government figures released on Sunday, August 16, the country has recorded 4,945 confirmed cases and 2,325 deaths, taking the case fatality rate to about 47 per cent. The death toll has now surpassed the 2,299 fatalities recorded during the 2018–2020 Ebola outbreak in eastern DRC.
The current outbreak, which was officially declared on May 15, is the country’s 17th and is caused by the Bundibugyo species of Ebola virus.
It has also become the largest Ebola outbreak ever recorded in the DRC by number of confirmed cases. The disease has spread across six provinces, with Bas-Uele becoming the latest affected area after authorities confirmed an Ebola death there on Friday.
Health authorities have faced challenges including delayed detection, strained healthcare services, insecurity and community resistance, all of which have complicated efforts to contain the outbreak.
The current epidemic is now the second-deadliest Ebola outbreak recorded globally, behind the 2014–2016 West African epidemic, which killed more than 11,000 people.
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