DR Congo Confirms New Ebola Outbreak as WHO Rushes Supplies and Vaccines to Remote Region

Health authorities in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) have declared a new Ebola virus outbreak in Kasai Province, confirming 28 suspected cases and 15 deaths so far. The World Health Organisation (WHO) announced that the outbreak is concentrated in the Bulape and Mweka health zones, located in the south-central part of the country.

Samples tested on September 3 at the National Institute of Biomedical Research in Kinshasa confirmed the cause as the Ebola Zaire strain—a severe and often fatal illness whose symptoms include fever, vomiting, diarrhoea, and haemorrhaging.

An advance team from the DRC’s Ministry of Health and WHO has already been deployed to rapidly scale up the response. A national Rapid Response Team, supported by WHO experts in epidemiology, infection prevention and control, and case management, is also on the ground in Kasai. Communication specialists have joined the effort to engage local communities and share critical information on how to stay protected.

The WHO is delivering two tonnes of essential supplies—including personal protective equipment, mobile laboratory materials, and medical treatments—to support the operation. However, reaching the affected area remains a major challenge. The zone is difficult to access, located at least a day’s drive from the provincial capital Tshikapa and with limited air connections.

Dr. Mohamed Janabi, WHO Regional Director for Africa, emphasized the urgency of the situation: “We’re acting with determination to rapidly halt the spread of the virus and protect communities. Banking on the country’s long-standing expertise in controlling viral disease outbreaks, we’re working closely with the health authorities to quickly scale up key response measures to end the outbreak as soon as possible.”

The WHO warns that case numbers are likely to rise as transmission continues. To help contain the outbreak, 2,000 doses of the Ervebo Ebola vaccine—already prepositioned in Kinshasa—will be rushed to Kasai to inoculate contacts of confirmed cases and frontline health workers.

This marks the DRC’s 16th Ebola outbreak since the virus was first identified in the country in 1976. Kasai Province experienced previous outbreaks in 2007 and 2008. The nation’s most recent outbreak, which occurred in the northwestern Equateur province in April 2022, was brought under control in less than three months due to swift and coordinated action by health authorities.