DR Congo Ebola outbreak exceeds 7,000 cases with 3,400 deaths

Kinshasa — The Democratic Republic of Congo’s Ministry of Health announced on Tuesday that a rare outbreak of the Bundibugyo virus, a member of the ebolavirus family first identified in Uganda in 2007, was detected in mid‑May. Since the virus’s emergence, official figures indicate that nearly 3,400 people have died, making it one of the deadliest health crises the country has faced in recent years.

Health officials and World Health Organization teams have deployed rapid‑response units to the affected provinces, establishing treatment centers, conducting contact tracing, and distributing experimental vaccines under emergency protocols. The Ministry of Health warned that the virus spreads through direct contact with bodily fluids of infected individuals and stressed that limited laboratory capacity and ongoing conflict in remote areas hinder containment efforts. International partners are providing personal protective equipment, diagnostic kits, and logistical support as authorities continue to monitor the outbreak and urge communities to report symptoms promptly.