Ebola outbreak in DR Congo becomes deadliest in country’s history, death toll reaches 2,325

The Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo has killed 2,325 people, surpassing the death toll from the country’s 2018-2020 outbreak to become its deadliest Ebola outbreak on record, according to government data released Sunday.

Congo’s public health institute reported 4,945 confirmed cases, including 101 new infections detected in the previous 24 hours. The outbreak, the country’s 17th, had already become its largest by case count in late July.

The latest figures show that deaths have now exceeded the 2,299 recorded during the 2018-2020 outbreak. Globally, the current outbreak is second only to the 2014-2016 West Africa epidemic, which recorded 28,616 cases and 11,310 deaths across Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone, according to the World Health Organization.

Congo’s outbreak reached 2,000 deaths in less than three months, compared with nearly five months for the West African epidemic to reach 1,000 deaths.

No approved vaccines or treatments

The outbreak is being driven by the Bundibugyo species of Ebola, for which there are currently no approved vaccines or treatments. It was formally declared on May 15 and has since accelerated amid weak healthcare infrastructure, community resistance and instability, hampering efforts to detect and respond to infections.

The case fatality ratio has risen from around 20% in early June to 46%, meaning nearly one in two confirmed patients has died. Public health experts say the increase does not necessarily mean the virus has become more deadly, but may reflect delays in detection, surveillance and access to treatment.

Thomas Parisch, a public health specialist deployed to Congo with Médecins Sans Frontières, said many patients are still being identified only after becoming critically ill or dying in the community.

A small number of experimental vaccines and therapies are being assessed, while health authorities are studying whether existing Ebola treatments could be effective against the virus. Evidence so far is largely limited to animal studies.

The outbreak also spread to neighbouring Uganda, where authorities reported 20 confirmed cases and two deaths before declaring the outbreak over last month.

Ebola spreads through direct contact with the bodily fluids of infected people, whether living or dead. Symptoms can include fever, vomiting and diarrhoea, with severe cases potentially causing internal and external bleeding.