The World Health Organization (WHO) confirmed Thursday that 48 cases of Ebola have been reported in the Democratic Republic of Congo, with 31 fatalities since the outbreak was declared earlier this month.
“It has been two weeks since the government of the DRC declared an Ebola outbreak,” said WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, speaking via video from Geneva. “So far, 48 confirmed and probable cases have been reported, and 31 people have died.”
This marks Congo’s first Ebola outbreak in three years. The virus, which causes fever, body aches, and diarrhea, is known to persist in survivors and can re-emerge years later. The country’s dense tropical forests serve as a natural reservoir for the disease.
In response, WHO has launched a vaccination campaign targeting frontline health workers and individuals who have had contact with infected patients in Kasai Province, the epicenter of the outbreak. An initial batch of 400 doses of the Ervebo vaccine has been delivered to Bulape from Congo’s stockpile of 2,000 doses.
WHO has also deployed medical experts, delivered over 14 tonnes of critical supplies, and established an Ebola treatment center where 16 patients are currently receiving care. More than 900 contacts are being monitored, and the first two recovered patients were discharged earlier this week.
Meanwhile, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued a health advisory to public health departments and healthcare providers, urging vigilance. The CDC noted that no cases linked to the outbreak have been reported outside Congo, and the risk of spread to the United States remains low.
