Ebola outbreak in DR Congo claims 42 lives since late August

Monday 29 September 2025 - 10:30

By: Sahili Aya

Ebola outbreak in DR Congo claims 42 lives since late August

Health authorities in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) have reported 42 deaths linked to the Ebola virus since the end of August in the central province of Kasaï.

According to the latest health bulletin, a total of 64 cases have been identified, including 53 confirmed and 11 considered probable. Among the confirmed cases, 31 people have died.

A vaccination campaign launched in mid-September aims to curb the spread of the epidemic declared earlier this month in the Bulape region. So far, more than 2,100 people have been vaccinated, while over 20,000 doses have already arrived in the province, with an additional 45,000 expected.

The Congolese government and its partners have validated a national response plan with an initial budget of $17 million to finance priority health measures.

Ebola, first identified in the DRC in 1976, remains one of the deadliest diseases in the country. Between 2018 and 2020, an outbreak caused nearly 2,300 deaths out of 3,500 confirmed cases. The virus has six known strains, three of which — Bundibugyo, Sudan, and Zaire — have been responsible for major outbreaks.