Ebola outbreak in DR Congo becomes deadliest ever, death toll rises to 2,325

The Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo has killed 2,325 people, surpassing the death toll from the country’s 2018-2020 outbreak to become its deadliest Ebola outbreak on record, according to government data released Sunday.

Congo’s public health institute reported 4,945 confirmed cases, including 101 new infections in the previous 24 hours. The outbreak, the country’s 17th, had already become its largest by number of cases in late July.

The latest figures show that deaths have exceeded the 2,299 recorded during the 2018-2020 outbreak. Globally, the current outbreak is second only to the 2014-2016 West Africa epidemic, which recorded 28,616 cases and 11,310 deaths across Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone, according to the World Health Organization.

Congo’s current outbreak reached 2,000 deaths in less than three months, while the West African epidemic took nearly five months to reach 1,000 deaths.

No approved vaccines or treatments

The outbreak is being caused by the Bundibugyo species of Ebola, for which there are currently no approved vaccines or treatments. Declared on May 15, the outbreak has gained momentum amid weak healthcare infrastructure, community resistance and instability, complicating efforts to detect and contain infections.

The case fatality ratio has risen from around 20% in early June to 46%, meaning nearly one in two confirmed patients has died. Public health experts say the increase does not necessarily indicate that the virus has become more lethal, but may reflect delays in detection, surveillance and access to care.

Thomas Parisch, a public health specialist deployed to Congo with Médecins Sans Frontières, said many patients are still being identified only after becoming critically ill or dying in the community.

A small number of experimental vaccines and therapies are being evaluated, while health authorities are examining whether existing Ebola treatments could provide protection. Evidence so far remains largely limited to animal studies.

The outbreak also spread to neighbouring Uganda, where authorities reported 20 confirmed cases and two deaths before declaring the outbreak over last month.

Ebola spreads through direct contact with the bodily fluids of infected people, whether living or dead. Symptoms can include fever, vomiting and diarrhoea, while severe cases may cause internal and external bleeding.