Confirmed Ebola cases in the Democratic Republic of the Congo have reached 5,515 with 2,642 deaths.
The 17th Ebola epidemic in the Democratic Republic of the Congo has reached 5,515 confirmed cases of infection and killed 2,642 people. Government figures show that 51 new cases were recently detected across the Ituri and North Kivu provinces. The update on Sunday came as Pope Leo called for international action to help contain the epidemic, which is now the deadliest Ebola outbreak in the DRC’s history. The outbreak is now on track to surpass the deadliest Ebola epidemic on record, which was the 2014–2016 outbreak in West Africa that killed more than 11,000 people.
Declared in mid-May, the outbreak relies on the rarer Bundibugyo virus strain, for which there is no approved vaccine or treatment. The case fatality rate has climbed from about 20 percent in early June to nearly 48 percent, meaning almost one in two infected individuals is dying. Medical personnel face severe risks, with about 160 health workers infected and roughly 45 fatalities recorded by the World Health Organization.
Global Vaccine Allocation and Clinical Trial Plans
Following a formal request from the government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo for a release of Ervebo vaccines from the global Ebola virus disease vaccine stockpile managed by the International Coordinating Group on Vaccine Provision (ICG), the ICG informed national authorities of an immediate initial release of 70,000 doses. The allocation includes 50,000 doses designated for frontline and health workers in line with the current recommendations of the WHO Strategic Advisory Group of Experts on Immunization (SAGE).
The remaining 20,000 doses are allocated for a Phase 3 clinical trial to understand the impact of the vaccine on the Bundibugyo virus. Because it is not yet known whether Ervebo may be protective against the Bundibugyo virus in humans—though early laboratory and animal data suggest it may provide some protection—the trial is expected to provide important new evidence, which is essential for policy-makers to inform future use of the Ervebo vaccine. It is key that the people offered the vaccine, in the trial and otherwise, receive information of the risks, potential benefits and limitations related to the use of the vaccine in an outbreak of Bundibugyo virus and are able to provide informed consent.
The International Coordinating Group on Vaccine Provision was established in 1997, following major outbreaks of meningitis in Africa, as a mechanism to manage and coordinate the provision of emergency vaccine supplies and antibiotics to countries during major outbreaks. The ICG has managed the emergency stockpile of Ebola vaccine since January 2021, which was created as an additional tool to control outbreaks of Ebola virus (previously called Zaire ebolavirus). Founding institutional partners include the International Federation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, Médecins Sans Frontières, UNICEF, and the WHO, with financial backing provided by Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance. Since the establishment of ICG Ebola mechanism in 2021 until July 2026, over 56,000 doses of Ervebo vaccine have been allocated to respond to Ebola virus outbreaks in DRC, while a further 167,000 doses have been used in preventive campaigns for health and frontline workers in DRC, Guinea-Bissau, Kenya, Sierra Leone and Uganda.
Pope Leo and International Officials Call for Scaled-Up Response
Addressing the Vatican on Sunday, Pope Leo offered prayers for the DRC, in light of the spread of the Ebola epidemic, which is sadly claiming many lives
. Pope Leo, Vatican
The pontiff pressed global institutions to prioritize community collaboration alongside medical interventions, stating, I urge the international community to respond in a way that also involves local communities in prevention efforts to save as many lives as possible.
Pope Leo, Vatican
WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus and other officials said the response in the DRC needs to be scaled up two to threefold to contain the outbreak and reach every affected area, while calling for more support and protection for front-line health workers, including protective equipment, timely payment, and access to rapid diagnosis and high-quality supportive care if they fall ill. Abdulsalami Nasidi, a public health consultant who helped establish the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention, described the situation in stark terms to Al Jazeera, stating that the outbreak was getting out of hand
. This is no longer just a national or regional issue; it is a global issue. If it spreads to neighbouring places with lower immunity, it will be a disaster,
Abdulsalami Nasidi, public health consultant
Nasidi blamed weak infection control measures and a lack of trust between authorities and affected communities for the continued transmission.
Operational Hurdles and Improvements in Contact Tracing
Public health operations in the region face persistent obstacles. Efforts to contain the outbreak have been hampered by armed conflict in the affected provinces, displacement, attacks on medical personnel and facilities, a mobile working population and a lack of critical infrastructure.
Despite these barriers, surveillance has registered notable gains. Contact tracing has improved sharply from 30 percent in June to more than 85 percent. Furthermore, Uganda and several health zones in DRC’s Ituri and South Kivu have interrupted transmission, which the WHO said is evidence that rapid detection, decisive leadership, and community cooperation can break the chain of transmission. WHO and the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) welcome the allocation of vaccines to the DRC, and are united in support of the Government of the DRC to protect affected communities, save lives, and bring the Bundibugyo Ebola outbreak to an end.
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