KINSHASA, Aug. 1 — The Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) has recorded more than 3,500 confirmed Ebola infections, making the current epidemic the second-largest Ebola outbreak in history, according to government officials.
In a statement released on Friday, the Ministry of Communication and Media said the number of confirmed cases had risen to 3,532, surpassing the country’s previous record outbreak between August 2018 and June 2020, when about 3,470 people were infected.
The DRC’s Ministry of Public Health reported that the outbreak has claimed 1,556 lives, with a case fatality rate of 44.1%. At least 807 patients remain in isolation or are receiving hospital treatment, while 626 people have recovered.
The acting head of the World Food Programme (WFP), Carl Skau, described the outbreak as the fastest-spreading Ebola epidemic ever witnessed and called for greater international attention and support.
The Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) said the outbreak has escalated rapidly within three months, with deaths occurring at a rate five times higher than in previous outbreaks during the same period.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), only the 2014–2016 West Africa Ebola epidemic was larger, infecting 28,616 people and killing 11,310 across Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone.
Health authorities said the current outbreak is caused by the rare Bundibugyo strain of the Ebola virus, for which there is currently no approved vaccine or specific treatment.
The response has been complicated by insecurity in eastern Congo, including attacks on health facilities, the presence of armed groups, reduced international funding, and low public trust in health authorities, all of which have hindered efforts to contain the outbreak.
