GENEVA/KIGALI — The World Health Organization reported Friday that an Ebola outbreak caused by the Bundibugyo strain continues to spread in the Democratic Republic of Congo and Uganda, with health authorities working to contain transmission amid complex humanitarian conditions.
As of Thursday, the DRC has reported 125 confirmed cases, including 17 deaths, across the provinces of Ituri, North Kivu, and South Kivu. An additional 906 suspected cases, including 223 deaths, remain under investigation, according to DRC Ministry of Health data cited by the WHO. Uganda has reported nine confirmed cases, including one death, with at least three cases linked to travel from the DRC.
WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus arrived in the DRC on Thursday to meet with health and humanitarian partners coordinating the response. “We all agreed on the importance of strengthened coordination and collaboration among all partners, in support of the government and communities in Ituri Province, which is most affected by the outbreak,” Tedros said in a social media post.
The Bundibugyo strain carries a case fatality rate of approximately 30 to 50 percent among confirmed cases, based on historical data from previous outbreaks. However, WHO technical officer Anais Legand noted that the current outbreak appears to be showing a lower fatality rate, with the case fatality rate standing at approximately 24.6 percent among confirmed cases.
Healthcare workers remain among those affected, with 16 confirmed cases reported among medical staff. A 32-year-old laboratory worker in Ituri Province became the first person to recover and be discharged from an Ebola treatment center during the current outbreak, offering a positive development in the response efforts.
“We expect more patients to recover,” Legand told reporters in Geneva. “We can support communities to recognize the symptoms early, to get early diagnosis so that they can receive the level of care they need.”
The outbreak was declared on May 15, with cumulative suspected cases now exceeding 1,000 since the initial detection. Authorities have identified challenges including contact tracing difficulties, insecurity in affected areas, and limited isolation and referral capacity.
Uganda has implemented enhanced border controls with the DRC, closing several crossing points to prevent further cross-border transmission. All confirmed cases in Uganda remain epidemiologically linked to the DRC outbreak, with no evidence of community transmission within Uganda, according to WHO.
On the medical countermeasures front, WHO has convened expert groups to evaluate potential treatments and vaccines. Two candidate vaccines have been identified for assessment, including the rVSV Bundibugyo vaccine being developed by the International AIDS Vaccine Initiative. For treatment, candidate therapeutics including monoclonal antibodies and the antiviral remdesivir are being evaluated in clinical trials.
The response is complicated by limited access to conflict-affected areas in eastern DRC, where armed groups operate. Tedros has appealed to armed groups for a ceasefire to allow health workers to reach affected populations.