Ebola outbreak death toll tops 2,800 in DR Congo as WHO warns of rapid spread

The death toll from the Ebola outbreak that began in the Democratic Republic of Congo in May has surpassed 2,800, according to figures released Sunday by the country’s health ministry, as health officials warn the epidemic continues to accelerate across multiple provinces.

Ministry data showed confirmed cases have reached 5,945 across six provinces, with at least 1,327 patients having recovered and 896 confirmed cases currently in isolation or receiving hospital treatment. Health officials said the outbreak has now spread across 60 health zones in the Haut Uele, Ituri, North Kivu, South Kivu, Bas Uele and Tshopo provinces since authorities first declared the outbreak in mid May.

The World Health Organization said the Bundibugyo strain of the virus driving the outbreak continues to evolve rapidly and shows sustained transmission across affected areas. The organization described the rise in confirmed cases and the widening geographic spread over the past three months as a substantial increase in the overall scale of the outbreak.

Congolese authorities launched a vaccination campaign last week targeting health workers and other frontline responders, as officials continue struggling to contain the virus’s spread across the affected provinces.

Richard Kitenge, a doctor involved in the outbreak response, told reporters in Ituri that containing the virus now depends heavily on cooperation from local communities. He said no medical intervention alone can defeat Ebola, and that success instead relies on public support and active community involvement. Kitenge said that when residents follow prevention measures, work with response teams and avoid hiding sick individuals, health workers can maintain accurate contact tracing and respond quickly to new cases.

The outbreak has drawn growing international attention as case numbers and the affected area continue to expand, with the World Health Organization previously appealing for additional global support to help authorities contain what has already become one of the deadliest Ebola outbreaks in the country’s history.