The death toll from the ongoing Ebola epidemic in the Democratic Republic of Congo has officially passed 3,000, according to updated government health data released on Wednesday. Total confirmed cases reached 6,186, with 3,007 related fatalities recorded across six affected provinces, marking the country’s worst Ebola outbreak on record.
Driven by the Bundibugyo species of the virus, the epidemic was first officially declared in Ituri province in May. Ituri remains the epicenter of transmission, accounting for more than 5,000 cases and over 2,300 deaths. Additional heavy impacts are concentrated in neighboring North Kivu, alongside active clusters in Haut-Uélé, Tshopo, South Kivu, and Bas-Uélé.
Health authorities report that roughly 830 patients remain hospitalized in isolation units as containment teams continue active contact tracing across 60 health zones. High crude case fatality rates near 48% continue to strain regional treatment centers, where responders face persistent logisitical hurdles, displacement, and delays in early detection. Internationally, neighboring Uganda managed to bring its localized outbreak under control, declaring the end of its 42-day surveillance period late last month.