The Democratic Republic of Congo has confirmed 598 Ebola cases and 115 deaths since an outbreak was officially declared on May 15 in the eastern province of Ituri, according to a statement released by the Ministry of Communication on social media late Tuesday. Authorities reported 48 new infections within the previous 24 hours and warned that transmission of the disease continues within affected communities.
The outbreak is being driven by the Bundibugyo strain of the Ebola virus, a variant associated with a natural case fatality rate of between 30 and 50 percent. Health authorities noted that there is currently no licensed vaccine or specific treatment available for this strain, adding to concerns over the outbreak’s trajectory.
Initially concentrated in Ituri Province, the epidemic has expanded into neighboring eastern regions. Officials reported 32 confirmed cases in North Kivu and three cases in South Kivu, signaling a widening geographic spread of the disease beyond its original epicenter.
The outbreak has also crossed into Uganda, where authorities have detected 19 cases linked to the epidemic. According to the figures provided, 14 of those infections originated in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Uganda has recorded two deaths associated with the outbreak.
The World Health Organization classified the outbreak as a Public Health Emergency of International Concern on May 17. The agency estimates that the virus had been circulating in Ituri for approximately two months before authorities officially declared the outbreak, suggesting that transmission was already established before public health measures were fully activated.
Current data show that 297 patients are either hospitalized or being held in isolation facilities, while 22 people have recovered from the disease. The overall case fatality rate currently stands at 19.2 percent, although health officials note that the Bundibugyo strain has historically produced significantly higher mortality rates when left untreated.
Public health authorities have identified contact tracing as one of the major challenges facing containment efforts. According to the latest figures, only 56.3 percent of contacts linked to confirmed cases have been identified, a decline from the 64.4 percent reported on Sunday. Officials acknowledged considerable fluctuations in tracing efforts as the outbreak continues to expand.
In its Tuesday evening bulletin, the Democratic Republic of Congo’s National Institute of Public Health warned that a rapid geographic expansion of the epidemic remains a serious risk if public health interventions are not implemented quickly and effectively. The institute cautioned that delays in response measures could allow the virus to spread further within affected regions and beyond national borders.
The Ministry of Communication has urged residents to immediately report symptoms consistent with Ebola infection, including severe hemorrhagic fever, vomiting, diarrhea, and internal bleeding. Authorities have also called on the public to wash their hands frequently, comply with medical isolation measures, and observe safe burial practices aimed at limiting transmission.
Ebola spreads through direct contact with the bodily fluids of infected people or animals. As the outbreak continues to grow, the World Health Organization assesses the risk as high for sub-Saharan Africa while maintaining that the global risk level remains low. Health authorities continue to focus on containment efforts as new cases emerge across eastern Congo and neighboring Uganda.
