WHO: Ebola outbreak in DRC “out of control” as weekly cases and deaths hit record highs
WHO warns the Ebola outbreak in DRC is worsening, with rising weekly cases and cross-border risks; urgent scale-up of response urged to curb spread.
WHO issues stark warning on outbreak in DRC
The World Health Organization has warned that the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) remains out of control and is worsening, particularly in eastern provinces.
In its statement, the WHO said the outbreak has accelerated in recent weeks and that the scale of transmission is the largest the country has experienced.
The agency called for a substantial expansion of response activities to prevent further spread within the DRC and to neighbouring states.
Officials also warned that gaps in detection and isolation risk allowing chains of transmission to cross provincial and national borders.
Record weekly caseload and fatalities reported
Health authorities reported that during the most recent seven-day reporting period there were 567 new confirmed cases and 296 deaths, the highest weekly total since the outbreak began.
That surge underlined what the WHO described as “the exceptional pace of transmission” in affected areas and prompted renewed calls for rapid operational support.
Epidemiologists say high weekly totals reflect both growing transmission and increased detection in areas where surveillance had been limited.
Response teams have emphasised the need to rapidly identify and isolate cases, increase contact tracing, and expand safe burial practices to break transmission chains.
Cumulative caseload now exceeds previous national records
To date, the outbreak’s cumulative confirmed caseload has risen into the thousands, with health reports showing 3,605 laboratory‑confirmed infections.
The toll has been heavy: 1,587 deaths have been recorded among confirmed cases, while 651 patients are listed as having recovered.
Those figures make the current epidemic the largest in the DRC’s history, surpassing the 2018–2020 outbreak that recorded 3,317 confirmed cases.
Public health specialists warned that the comparative scale underscores the urgency of intensified interventions across multiple provinces.
Drivers of the increase and surveillance factors
WHO officials said part of the recent rise in reported cases is attributable to improved surveillance and an expansion of laboratory testing.
As testing capacity grows and active case-finding reaches previously under-served communities, more infections that were previously undetected are now being confirmed.
However, experts caution that detection improvements do not fully explain the rapid rise, pointing also to persistent challenges such as population movement, community resistance, and fragile health systems.
Conflict and access constraints in some affected provinces have hampered timely case management and public health outreach, analysts noted.
Regional risk and calls for cross-border preparedness
The WHO highlighted an increased risk of the outbreak spreading to neighbouring countries as cases appear in multiple provinces and population movement continues.
Health authorities in neighbouring states have been urged to strengthen port-of-entry surveillance, preparedness plans, and rapid response capacities.
International agencies and partners are being called upon to provide logistical, laboratory and human resources support to prevent a wider regional escalation.
The WHO emphasised coordination among governments, humanitarian actors and community leaders as essential to protecting vulnerable border populations.
Response needs and international assistance
The WHO said a “substantial scaling up” of response activities is required, including faster deployment of treatment beds, trained staff, laboratory kits and safe burial teams.
Given the absence of a licensed vaccine specific to the circulating strain, the agency and partners are prioritising proven public health measures and accelerating trials of candidate vaccines and therapeutics.
Donor support and operational capacity remain central to success, officials said, noting that investments in surveillance and primary health care will have lasting benefits beyond this outbreak.
Community trust and cooperation were also singled out as vital, with calls for dialogue with local leaders, women’s groups and civil society to improve uptake of preventive measures.
The coming weeks will be critical in determining whether intensified interventions can reverse the recent upward trajectory and prevent spill‑over into neighbouring states.