Ebola outbreak widens in DR Congo, infecting over 1,800, across four provinces
Ever since the outbreak was declared on May 15, the Democratic Republic of the Congo has recorded 1,830 confirmed Ebola cases, including 648 fatalities, according to the health ministry's latest situation report.
Health authorities said 780 patients remain under medical care, while 284 individuals have successfully recovered from the virus.
The majority of infections have been concentrated in Ituri, North Kivu, and South Kivu, where response operations continue.
Officials said efforts have been reinforced through tighter national coordination, enhanced disease surveillance and expanded community engagement.
The outbreak has now spread beyond those regions, with authorities confirming seven fatal infections in the Wamba health zone, bringing Haut-Uele province into the list of affected areas.
To strengthen containment efforts, international donors and partner organizations have committed $910 million to support Ebola response activities in DR Congo and Uganda, where 20 confirmed cases have also been reported.
Also Read: Supreme Court orders strict anti-harassment measures in educational institutions
Meanwhile, the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) announced that it has expanded its response by dispatching multidisciplinary teams to the highest-risk health zones, which account for 83% of all reported infections under its decentralized strategy.
Africa CDC Director General Jean Kaseya said the outbreak underscores the importance of swift intervention, warning that every delay in detecting and containing the virus increases the human toll.
He stressed that Africa's outbreak response capacity must be strengthened at the community level through trusted healthcare workers, robust surveillance networks and rapid access to emergency funding.
On May 17, just two days after the outbreak was officially declared, the World Health Organization (WHO) classified the Bundibugyo strain Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo as a Public Health Emergency of International Concern.
