The Ebola epidemic in the Democratic Republic of Congo, caused by the Bundibugyo virus, has become the deadliest ever in the country and the second largest worldwide since the disease was discovered in 1976. According to the National Institute of Public Health in Kinshasa, the outbreak has already recorded 6,686 confirmed cases, 1,563 recoveries and 3,226 deaths, setting the case fatality rate at 48.3%.
The World Health Organisation warned that the outbreak remains "out of control and is increasingly heterogeneous," with the virus spreading across six provinces covering an area exceeding 630,000 square kilometres. WHO estimates that an immediate allocation of an additional 5,000 health workers and 1,600 specialised hospital beds is needed, while the current response has only 4,000 operational staff and 1,400 beds in 59 treatment centres. Expert Luca Fontana explained that providing care requires a ratio of three professionals per patient, and that each use of personal protective equipment costs approximately 25 dollars.
As part of clinical research investigation protocols, vaccination of frontline teams with the Ervebo drug has begun, with more than 2,000 health professionals already immunised in the provinces of Tshopo, Bas-Uélé and Ituri. Although WHO considers the risk of global spread to be low, the internal risk in DR Congo remains "very high" and is classified as "elevated" for neighbouring countries with direct land borders, including Angola, due to high population mobility and security volatility.
The outbreak has spread to Uganda, resulting in 20 cases and two deaths, with the neighbouring country declaring the end of transmission in its territory on 26 August. Given the severity of the situation, WHO is calling for new international partners and organisations to be mobilised to keep operational structures running and prevent the collapse of the health response.
