Health officials in the Democratic Republic of Congo have confirmed that the latest Ebola outbreak, which began in August, is now over.
The announcement was made on Monday by the head of the National Institute of Public Health, Dieudonne Mwamba Kazadi, who said the outbreak had “effectively ended” after weeks of monitoring and response efforts. He explained that at least 34 people died from 53 confirmed infections. He added that another 11 deaths were likely linked to the virus, putting the total number of suspected fatalities at 45.
At an official event in Kinshasa attended by representatives of the World Health Organization and Africa CDC, Health Minister Samuel-Roger Kamba said available evidence showed that “the chain of transmission of the virus have been broken.”
The outbreak took place in a remote area with difficult terrain. Emmanuel Lampaert, who represents Doctors Without Borders in the country, said the affected communities faced “extreme isolation, impassable roads, harsh weather conditions, and limited access to essential services,” which made the response effort tougher.
This marks Congo’s 16th Ebola outbreak since the virus first appeared in 1976, when the country was known as Zaire. The last major outbreak between 2018 and 2020 killed nearly 2,300 people out of 3,500 cases, making it the deadliest in the country’s history.
The most recent outbreak began on August 20 in the central province of Kasai after a 34-year-old pregnant woman was admitted to hospital. Authorities formally declared an outbreak in early September, and vaccination started in mid-September.
To support the response, the International Coordinating Group on Vaccine Provision supplied 45,000 additional doses of Ebola vaccines. The effort was crucial in a country that spans vast distances and struggles with poor transport infrastructure.
Ebola spreads through contact with bodily fluids. Common symptoms include fever, vomiting, bleeding and diarrhoea. The virus becomes contagious only after symptoms appear, following an incubation period of two to 21 days.
