Ebola Outbreak in Congo Becomes Deadliest in the Country’s History

The Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo has become the deadliest in the country’s history, with 2,325 deaths recorded as of August 16, according to government data. The death toll has now surpassed the 2,299 fatalities reported during the previous record outbreak in 2018–2020.

Congo’s public health institute said confirmed cases have risen to 4,945, including 101 new cases recorded in a single 24-hour period.

The current outbreak, the country’s 17th, had already become its largest ever by number of cases in late July. It is now the second-deadliest Ebola outbreak in the world after the 2014–2016 epidemic in West Africa, which caused 28,616 cases and 11,310 deaths in Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone, according to the World Health Organization.

The rapid rise in deaths is particularly concerning. The West African outbreak took almost five months after it was declared to reach 1,000 deaths, while Congo’s current outbreak surpassed 2,000 deaths in less than three months.

No approved vaccines or treatments

The outbreak is caused by the Bundibugyo species of Ebola, for which there are currently no approved vaccines or treatments.

The outbreak was officially declared on May 15 and has continued to accelerate amid weak health infrastructure, community resistance and instability, all of which have made it more difficult to detect cases and respond quickly.

The case fatality ratio has risen sharply, from around 20% in early June to 46%, according to government figures. This means that nearly one in every two confirmed cases is now resulting in death.

However, experts say the increase does not necessarily mean that the virus itself has become more deadly. Instead, it likely reflects persistent problems with disease surveillance, case detection and access to medical care.

“Normally, as an outbreak progresses, the case fatality ratio should fall as contact tracing improves and patients are identified and treated earlier,” said Thomas Parisch, a public health specialist recently deployed to the Democratic Republic of Congo with Médecins Sans Frontières.

Instead, many patients are still being diagnosed at a very late stage, when treatment is less likely to be effective. Some cases are only discovered after patients have already died in their communities.

A limited number of experimental vaccines and treatments are currently being evaluated. Global health authorities are also investigating whether existing Ebola therapies could provide some protection against the Bundibugyo species. So far, however, available evidence is largely limited to animal studies.

The outbreak also spread to neighboring Uganda earlier this year. Authorities there managed to limit the outbreak to 20 confirmed cases and two deaths before declaring it over last month.

Ebola spreads through direct contact with bodily fluids from infected people, including those who have died from the disease. Symptoms can include fever, vomiting and diarrhea, while severe cases may involve internal and external bleeding.

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