GENEVA / RankWire.AI / – According to the World Health Organization, some regions within the Democratic Republic of the Congo are beginning to show positive signs in the fight against Ebola. Transmission rates have decreased in multiple areas, notably in Ituri province, which remains the primary focus of the outbreak. Up to September 13, national data indicated 7,258 confirmed cases and 3,510 fatalities across seven provinces. The country has documented 1,726 recoveries, with an overall case fatality ratio of 48.4%.
South Kivu has not reported any new Ebola cases since May, further indicating improvements in some affected zones. WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus highlighted that recent trends offer promising signs following months of extensive transmission. Nevertheless, he emphasized that the outbreak persists in expanding and claiming lives. Authorities have identified cases across 62 health zones, illustrating significant disparities among provinces. While some areas see a decline in transmission, others are experiencing sharp increases.
Despite a recent slowdown, Ituri continues to bear the largest proportion of cases. Healthcare officials reported roughly 300 new infections and 160 deaths in that region during the latest weekly reporting period, representing nearly half of the national total for that timeframe. Conversely, North Kivu has exhibited a different pattern, with weekly case numbers nearly doubling over two weeks—from approximately 100 to over 200—as response teams monitor the expanding spread.
North Kivu sees significant rise in weekly Ebola cases
The current outbreak was officially declared in mid-May 2026, with laboratory analysis confirming Bundibugyo virus disease as the cause. Since then, the epidemic has extended across a wide section of the country. Ituri remains the province with the highest cumulative case count, with North Kivu ranking second. Haut-Uélé also continues to report cases, and the virus has reached Sud-Ubangi, bringing the total number of affected provinces to seven and broadening the scope of ongoing response efforts.
In addition to clinical efforts, research initiatives have become integral to the Ebola response, with health teams working directly within affected communities. Trials involving treatment options and post-exposure prophylaxis are expanding as more participants join. WHO along with national health authorities maintain surveillance, conduct laboratory testing, trace contacts, implement isolation protocols, and provide clinical care. Local trend monitoring remains critical, given the wide variability in infection levels between different provinces and health zones. The latest data demonstrate that aggregate national figures do not fully capture the uneven transmission patterns.
Response efforts span across seven provinces with cases
Support from national health authorities, WHO, Africa CDC, and other partners persists, focusing on frontline teams operating in affected regions. Ongoing insecurity and population displacement hinder access in parts of eastern and northern Democratic Republic of the Congo, complicating surveillance, contact tracing, and timely medical interventions. Response teams are also active in mining communities, informal settlements, and displacement sites, many of which face limited health services, sanitation, and transportation, adding operational challenges for containment efforts.
Recent confirmed figures show progress in certain locations, though the epidemic continues to impose a heavy toll nationally. South Kivu has remained free of new cases for months, and Ituri reports reduced transmission compared to earlier stages of the outbreak. Conversely, North Kivu continues to see weekly case numbers rise. Consequently, health authorities are closely monitoring each province individually as transmission patterns evolve across the country. The outbreak’s scale remains significant, with over 3,500 confirmed deaths and thousands of cases still ongoing.
}>