Ebola outbreak spreads to 61 health zones in DRC — WHO

The Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) has continued to spread geographically, with the World Health Organisation (WHO) reporting cases across 61 health zones in six provinces.

The WHO disclosed this in its latest outbreak situation update issued on Thursday, saying the outbreak had expanded to Kayna Health Zone in North Kivu.

The affected provinces are Bas-Uélé, Haut-Uélé, Ituri, North Kivu, South Kivu and Tshopo.

Transmission remains a concern

According to the latest WHO update, transmission patterns remain variable, with evidence of continued geographical expansion and sustained increases in cases across some affected health zones despite ongoing response efforts.

The agency said delayed detection remained a major concern, increasing the risk of further transmission within households, communities and healthcare facilities.

It said limited access to early treatment and difficulties in interrupting transmission were also contributing to the challenges faced by the response.

In addition, the WHO said these challenges required strengthened surveillance, rapid response measures and early treatment to help interrupt transmission.

As of 7 September, the DRC had recorded 6,757 confirmed Ebola cases caused by the Bundibugyo virus, including 3,267 deaths.

The figures represent a crude case fatality ratio of 48.3 per cent, according to the WHO.

Outbreak challenges

The latest development comes less than a month after the WHO described the outbreak as the second-largest Ebola outbreak on record.

At the time, 4,449 confirmed cases had been recorded across 53 health zones in five provinces.

The WHO had also warned that the outbreak was spreading faster than previous Ebola outbreaks at the same stage and was on course to potentially surpass the 2014–2016 West African outbreak, which remains the largest recorded Ebola outbreak.

The outbreak is caused by the rare Bundibugyo species of Ebola virus.

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Unlike the Zaire species, which has caused several previous Ebola outbreaks and for which the Ervebo vaccine is used, there is currently no licensed vaccine specifically approved for Bundibugyo virus disease.

In August, the WHO said a high proportion of cases were being detected in communities rather than treatment centres and outside known contact lists, suggesting that some chains of transmission remained unidentified.

The agency had said response measures included contact tracing, treatment centres, safe burial teams, laboratories and community engagement activities.

The WHO said the continued geographical expansion of the outbreak highlights the need to strengthen surveillance and ensure early detection and treatment, particularly in affected communities and healthcare facilities.