Ebola deaths in Congo surpass 3,000 in the country’s deadliest outbreak

More than 3,000 people have died in the Democratic Republic of Congo’s latest Ebola outbreak, which continues to spread in the country’s northeast despite efforts by health authorities and international organizations to contain it.

Government figures put the death toll at 3,007, with 6,186 confirmed cases. The outbreak has now become the largest and deadliest Ebola epidemic ever recorded in Congo, surpassing the outbreak of 2018 to 2020. Worldwide, it ranks second only to the West African epidemic of 2014 to 2016, which recorded more than 28,600 cases and over 11,000 deaths in Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone.

The outbreak is caused by the Bundibugyo strain of Ebola. Authorities officially declared it in Ituri province on May 15, although some health officials and experts believe transmission may have started as early as January. Since then, the disease has reached six provinces. The World Health Organization says the outbreak has expanded substantially since it was first detected in May.

Experts say inadequate disease surveillance, insecurity in parts of eastern Congo and distrust of health authorities among some communities are hindering efforts to stop transmission. The WHO estimates that about six in 10 deaths occur outside specialized treatment centers, highlighting the difficulty of detecting and isolating patients early.

Unlike the Zaire strain, Bundibugyo has no approved vaccine or specific treatment. Candidate vaccines are being developed by groups including Oxford University and the nonprofit International AIDS Vaccine Initiative. Congo has recently begun vaccinating frontline health workers with Merck’s Ervebo vaccine, which is approved for the Zaire strain but may offer some cross-protection against Bundibugyo. The WHO issued updated emergency guidance in early September on its possible use in Bundibugyo outbreaks.