Ebola outbreak in DR Congo shows slowdown; 64 cases reported

Seven new cases of Ebola virus disease have been reported in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, bringing the total to 64 since the start of the outbreak, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). At least 42 people have died.

WHO’s African Region office said the new cases were detected in Bulape Health Zone, Kasai Province, where seven deaths were also reported in the latest update.

Five healthcare workers have been infected, including three deaths, the update said. Of the total cases, 53 are confirmed and 11 are probable.

Cases range in age from newborn to 65 years, with women accounting for nearly 58% of infections and children under 10 representing a quarter of all cases. Fatalities have also been concentrated in these groups, with children accounting for nearly a third of deaths.

WHO said the fatality rate is beginning to decline due to earlier detection, improved surveillance, and higher quality of treatment.

In the past two weeks, only two new cases have been reported among children. Nine patients have recovered and were discharged, while 13 remain in treatment.

A total of 1,787 contacts were under follow-up. All cases are being systematically investigated to determine circumstances of exposure and trace potential contacts.

WHO stated that while transmission is now more localized and less explosive than during the initial phase, small family clusters could sustain low-level spread if not promptly identified and isolated.

Ebola is a severe and often fatal virus that affects humans and other primates. Case fatality rates for the disease have ranged from 41% to 100% in past outbreaks.

The Democratic Republic of the Congo has experienced multiple Ebola outbreaks over the past five decades, including the world’s first recognized outbreak in 1976 near the Ebola River in Equateur Province.

Since then, the country has reported more than a dozen outbreaks, with some among the largest and deadliest ever recorded, including the 2018–2020 outbreak in North Kivu and Ituri provinces that caused over 2,200 deaths.