Congo Ebola Outbreak Reaches 600 Deaths and 285 Recoveries

The number of confirmed deaths from Ebola in the Democratic Republic of Congo reached 600, the World Health Organization said Thursday. The total covers 1,759 confirmed cases recorded since the outbreak was declared on May 15, for a case fatality rate of 34 percent. The Congolese government reported two new suspected cases in Kisangani in Tshopo province on Wednesday.

One case traces to the Nia-Nia health zone in Ituri province, the initial focus of the outbreak, while the second shows no apparent link to known transmission areas. The outbreak has now reached four provinces but remains concentrated in Ituri. Uganda has recorded two deaths and 20 total cases, with 17 patients recovered.

This is the 17th Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo and is caused by the rare Bundibugyo species, for which no approved vaccines or treatments exist. A clinical trial evaluating the monoclonal antibody MBP134 and the antiviral remdesivir, alone and in combination, began on July 2.

Health authorities have established 22 treatment centers with roughly 700 beds operating at 90 percent capacity.

Plans are under way to add 300 more beds. More than 10,000 contacts are under monitoring, though the follow-up rate stands at 82 percent, below the 95 percent target cited by the WHO. Laboratory testing capacity has expanded from 30 tests per day in Kinshasa to more than 2,000 daily across decentralized sites in affected provinces.

The WHO has requested $115 million for the response, of which 32 percent has been received. Anne Ancia, the WHO representative in the DRC, said the outbreak remains in the expansion phase with transmission still occurring. She cited population movements, persistent insecurity, and a fragile health system as ongoing obstacles, noting that malaria and measles continue to spread alongside Ebola.