Kinshasa, September 13 (Daily Kiran) : The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has reported that the latest Ebola outbreak is now under control, having peaked in mid-August 2026. However, health officials caution that the threat is not entirely eliminated due to the emergence of new cases in various localities.
Government spokesperson Patrick Muyaya shared this update following a cabinet meeting, referencing Health Minister Roger Kamba’s remarks. He noted that the 17th Ebola outbreak had reached its peak during the third week of August. According to the Xinhua news agency, all key indicators suggest a decline in cases.
Before the recent expansion of the outbreak, no new cases had been reported in at least ten health zones for a minimum of 21 days. Additionally, the transmission rate in several areas of the eastern Ituri province, the outbreak’s epicenter, has slowed significantly.
Despite these encouraging signs, authorities emphasize the need for ongoing vigilance and strict contact tracing measures. Areas experiencing recent increases in cases will require close monitoring.
Jean-Jacques Mbungani Mbanda, a former health minister and current lawmaker, urged caution regarding the assessment of the situation. He warned that a reduction in cases in some areas does not imply that the outbreak is under control everywhere. In outbreaks where transmission occurs across multiple locations, different regions may reach their peaks at varying times. He also pointed out that the epidemic curve only reflects identified cases and may not account for undetected infections within communities.
In its latest weekly report, the World Health Organization stated that the outbreak remains “uncontrolled and heterogeneous.” While some areas are experiencing a decline in infections, others are seeing an increase or geographical spread.
The DRC government confirmed its first Ebola case in the northwestern Sud-Ubangi province on Thursday, marking it as the seventh province affected. The 23-year-old patient, who later succumbed to the disease, had traveled extensively before arriving in Sud-Ubangi, visiting several provinces and neighboring countries, including Rwanda and Uganda.
As of September 10, the DRC has reported 7,022 confirmed Ebola cases, resulting in 3,398 deaths, translating to a mortality rate of 48.4%. The disease has now spread across 62 health zones in seven provinces.
This current outbreak, declared in May, has become the largest and deadliest in the DRC’s history, and it ranks as the second-largest outbreak globally, following the epidemic that occurred in West Africa from 2014 to 2016.
Leave a Comment