Ebola has killed over 15,000 people in Africa over the past 50 years. The deadliest outbreak in the DRC had claimed nearly 2,300 deaths and 3,500 cases reported between 2018 and 2020.
The official declaration of this epidemic was made on May 15th, with 506 deaths and 1,561 confirmed cases recorded in the DRC, while the total remains at two deaths for 20 confirmed cases in Uganda, a neighboring country, according to the WHO’s latest situation report dated July 4th.
A clinical trial testing two treatments against the Bundibugyo strain, which caused the epidemic, began last week. The WHO has also granted emergency use authorization to the first molecular diagnostic test for the virus.
High Fatality Rate
The epicenter of the crisis, whose true scale is still difficult to measure and could last several months, is located in Ituri Province, north-eastern Congolese bordering South Sudan and Uganda.
In the mining town of Mongbwalu, considered the starting point of the epidemic, high mortality rates (50.7%) suggest ongoing challenges in early treatment or access to healthcare for patients.
The virus is also present in nearby provinces of North Kivu and South Kivu, where capitals and large areas are controlled by the antigovernemental M23 group.
In North Kivu, a mortality rate of 57.4%, significantly higher than the average, has been deemed "concerning" by Congolese health authorities. In South Kivu Province, no new cases have been confirmed since May 26th.
The M23 group’s health authorities announced last week that the epidemic had been eradicated in areas under their control. This information could not be verified by AFP through independent sources.
In response to this announcement, cross-border exchanges between eastern DRC and Rwanda resumed after several weeks of post office border closure, according to AFP journalists.
The resumption of trade and travel has seen frequent exchanges across the border in this region, particularly for commerce. Many Congolese from the area also fly to Kigali for flights, following the M23 group’s airport closure in Goma at the beginning of 2025.
