The Democratic Republic of the Congo has recorded more than 8,000 confirmed Ebola cases for the first time since the current epidemic began in May, according to Congolese authorities cited by the World Health Organization on Tuesday. The outbreak, driven by the Bundibugyo virus, has reached 8,067 confirmed cases and 3,901 deaths across 63 affected health zones in seven of the country’s 26 provinces, pushing the case fatality rate above 48 percent.
Treatment Expansion in Ituri Province
Dr. Janet Diaz of the WHO Health Emergencies Programme told reporters in Geneva that while transmission is slowing in certain pockets, the overall caseload remains stubbornly high. Dr. Diaz recently returned from her second field visit to the epicenter in Bunia, the capital of Ituri province in the northeastern DRC. During her visit, she visited local treatment centers and evaluated ongoing response efforts.
To accommodate the surge, health officials have scaled up treatment capacity from just a handful of beds at the start of the outbreak to more than 1,600 beds spread across 50 treatment facilities in the seven impacted provinces. Plans are already underway to push capacity past 2,000 beds. Alongside infrastructure growth, the WHO and its partners have trained nearly 400 health workers and established a dedicated training hub in Bunia. Dr. Diaz emphasized that every new patient bed requires a skilled workforce capable of delivering continuous, round-the-clock care.
Barriers to Early Medical Care
Despite expanded facilities, patient survival rates are heavily undermined by delayed hospital admissions. Dr. Diaz noted that many individuals continue to die at home or within their local communities because they cannot reach treatment centers in time. Delays in seeking care, coupled with persistent challenges in access and referral networks, continue to severely complicate the public health response.
To counter these hurdles, the WHO and local partners are prioritizing early recognition of symptoms, streamlining rapid referral systems, and administering early supportive care. A central pillar of this supportive care, particularly for severely ill patients, is medical oxygen. However, Dr. Diaz cautioned that reliable oxygen remains unavailable or intermittent in many health facilities, especially within emergency settings. She stressed that maintaining a steady oxygen supply requires functional health infrastructure, reliable delivery systems, and trained personnel rather than simple equipment distribution.
Vaccine Trials and Research Progress
While no approved vaccine currently exists specifically for the Bundibugyo strain of the virus, clinical research is advancing. The WHO announced that 20,000 doses of the Ervebo vaccine—which has previously demonstrated effectiveness against the Zaire Ebola virus—have been allocated for a research vaccination program in Ituri province.
Ebola outbreak cases, deaths, and treatment capacity in the DRC
What virus is causing the current Ebola outbreak in the DRC?
The outbreak is caused by the Bundibugyo virus, as reported by the WHO.
How many cases and deaths have been recorded?
According to Congolese authorities and the WHO, there are 8,067 confirmed cases and 3,901 deaths, resulting in a case fatality rate of more than 48 percent.
What treatment capacity additions have been made?
Treatment capacity has grown from a handful of beds at the onset to more than 1,600 beds across 50 treatment centers in seven provinces, with plans to exceed 2,000 beds.
Are vaccines available for this specific strain?
There is currently no approved vaccine for the Bundibugyo virus, but 20,000 doses of the Ervebo vaccine have been allocated for a research vaccination program in Ituri province.
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