GENEVA / RankWire.AI / – The World Health Organization indicates that certain regions within the Democratic Republic of the Congo are experiencing signs of progress in combating Ebola. In particular, transmission rates have declined in multiple locations, notably in Ituri province, which remains the primary epicenter. As of September 13, national data recorded 7,258 confirmed cases and 3,510 fatalities across seven provinces. The total number of recoveries has reached 1,726, with the case fatality ratio currently at 48.4%.
Since May, South Kivu has not reported any new Ebola cases, providing further evidence of improvement in some affected regions. WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus stated that recent trends indicate promising signs after months of widespread transmission. Nevertheless, he emphasized that the outbreak continues to expand and cause fatalities. Response efforts have identified cases in 62 health zones, highlighting significant disparities among provinces. While some areas see declining transmission, others are experiencing sharp increases, reflecting uneven progress across the country.
Despite a recent slowdown in transmission, Ituri still accounts for the largest share of cases. Health officials reported approximately 300 new infections and 160 deaths there in the latest weekly period, accounting for nearly half of the national total during that time. Conversely, North Kivu has shown a different trend, with weekly cases nearly doubling over two weeks, rising from about 100 to over 200 as teams monitor the expanding transmission.
North Kivu Experiences Significant Rise in Weekly Cases
The outbreak was officially declared in mid-May 2026, with laboratory results confirming Bundibugyo virus disease as the causative agent. Since then, the epidemic has spread across a wide region of the country. Ituri remains the province with the highest overall case count, followed by North Kivu. Haut-Uélé continues to report cases, and the virus has now reached Sud-Ubangi, expanding the geographic scope to seven affected provinces and intensifying the response efforts.
To combat the outbreak, clinical research has become a vital component of the response, with health teams working directly within affected communities. Trials involving various treatments and post-exposure prophylaxis are expanding as more participants join. WHO and national health authorities maintain ongoing surveillance, laboratory testing, contact tracing, isolation procedures, and clinical care. Given the wide variation in infection levels between provinces and zones, officials closely monitor local trends, recognizing that national figures alone do not reflect the uneven transmission patterns.
Seven Provinces Under Active Health Interventions
Support from national health agencies, WHO, Africa CDC, and other partners continues to bolster frontline teams across the impacted regions. Challenges such as insecurity and displacement hinder access in parts of eastern and northern Democratic Republic of the Congo, complicating efforts for surveillance, contact tracing, and timely medical intervention. Response teams also operate within mining communities, informal settlements, and displacement camps, where limited healthcare services, sanitation, and transportation infrastructure pose additional operational hurdles in controlling the outbreak.
Recent confirmed figures reflect progress in several areas, though the outbreak remains a heavy burden on the country. South Kivu has gone months without new cases, and Ituri reports lower transmission levels compared to earlier phases of the epidemic. Meanwhile, North Kivu continues to see a rise in weekly infections. Consequently, health authorities are monitoring each province separately, as transmission dynamics continue to evolve. The overall toll remains high, with more than 3,500 confirmed deaths and thousands of cases indicating the outbreak’s extensive impact.