WHO: Ebola Outbreak in DRC Remains Uncontrolled Amid Border Proximity

The World Health Organization stated that the Ebola virus outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo remains uncontrolled, even as case numbers show a slight decline.

This assessment follows geographic expansion of transmission, including movement toward international borders. As of Sunday, the country had recorded 7,733 confirmed cases and 3,732 deaths. The outbreak has extended to 63 health zones across seven provinces.

Latest Geographic Expansion

The most recent extension occurred in the Dongu health zone of Haut-Uélé province, which borders South Sudan. That proximity heightens the risk of cross-border transmission.

Strain on Response Capacity

The WHO warned that this geographic spread is intensifying pressure on response resources. Two-thirds of recent fatalities occurred outside health facilities, indicating delayed case detection and delayed access to care.

Risk Classification by WHO

The organization assessed the risk of disease spread within the country as “very high” and classified the regional spread risk as “high.”

The outbreak, declared in May, is the largest and deadliest in the history of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Globally, it ranks second in scale only to the 2014–2016 West Africa Ebola outbreak.