Health authorities in the Democratic Republic of Congo are racing against the clock after announcing a new Ebola outbreak in the southern Kasai province, the country’s 16th such crisis. As of September 6, 2025, officials confirmed 28 suspected cases and 15 deaths, including four health care workers, according to statements from the Ministry of Health and the World Health Organization (WHO). The outbreak’s epicenter is the locality of Boulapé, in Mweka territory, where the first confirmed case—a 34-year-old pregnant woman—was admitted to hospital last month with symptoms of hemorrhagic fever and died within hours from multiple organ failure.
The stakes are high. Health Minister Samuel-Roger Kamba reported a case fatality rate of 53.6%, underscoring the gravity of the situation. "To date, the provisional report shows 28 suspected cases and 15 deaths, including 14 in Boulapé and 1 in Mweka, as well as four health care workers," Kamba said, as reported by The Associated Press. He further stressed that these numbers are provisional, with investigations ongoing as the outbreak unfolds.
The confirmation of the Zaire strain—the most virulent form of the Ebola virus—by the National Institute for Biomedical Research in Kinshasa has heightened concerns. The Zaire strain is notorious for its high lethality, a fact not lost on communities and health officials alike. Dr. Jean Paul Mikobi, chief medical officer for the Boulapé health zone, warned that infections may surge, especially as fear has driven many residents to flee their villages. This mass movement complicates efforts to trace and monitor those who may have been exposed, potentially fueling further spread.
WHO has responded by dispatching its experts to Kasai province, working hand-in-hand with Congo’s Rapid Response Team. Their mission: strengthen disease surveillance, bolster treatment capacity, and reinforce infection prevention and control in health facilities. Supplies are arriving steadily—personal protective equipment, mobile laboratory equipment, and vital medicines. "We had previously prepositioned 2,000 doses of Ebola vaccine in Kinshasa, which we are releasing to vaccinate contacts and health workers," said WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, as cited by HealthDay News.
The rapid mobilization of resources is critical. Congo maintains a stockpile of treatments and the Ervebo Ebola vaccine, both of which are being deployed to contain the outbreak. The WHO’s Africa regional director, Dr. Mohamed Janabi, emphasized the urgency of the situation: "We’re acting with determination to rapidly halt the spread of the virus and protect communities." The organization has also warned that case numbers are likely to rise as transmission remains ongoing. "Case numbers are likely to increase as the transmission is ongoing," the WHO stated, highlighting the need for swift, coordinated action.
Containment measures extend beyond medical interventions. Francois Mingambengele, administrator of Mweka territory, imposed partial confinement measures on September 5, 2025, including the suspension of classes and graduation ceremonies and the closure of weekly markets. These steps aim to limit person-to-person contact and slow the virus’s spread. Health officials are urging strict adherence to preventive practices such as social distancing and frequent handwashing—simple yet effective tools in breaking chains of transmission. The WHO and local teams are also working to track down individuals who may be infected, ensuring they receive care and reducing the risk of further spread.
The Ebola virus is highly contagious, spreading through direct contact with bodily fluids like blood, vomit, or semen, and through contaminated surfaces such as bedding and clothing. Symptoms often begin with fever, vomiting, and diarrhea, progressing to muscle pain and, in severe cases, internal and external bleeding. Without prompt treatment, the illness is frequently fatal, as underscored by the current fatality rate.
The outbreak’s impact on health care workers is especially troubling. Four health professionals are among the deceased, a stark reminder of the risks faced by those on the front lines. Dr. Amitié Bukidi, head of the Mweka health zone, noted that all four health zones in the territory have reported suspected cases. He also pointed to challenges in the response effort, telling The Associated Press, "The main challenges we face involve the lack of personnel and the shortage of personal protective equipment. Beyond that, our hospitals need to be supplied with medicines and special equipment capable of addressing this epidemic."
The current crisis is unfolding against a backdrop of renewed fighting in eastern Congo and a health care system already weakened by U.S. aid cuts. These factors have left the country’s medical infrastructure stretched thin, with some Ebola treatment centers in the east having come under attack in previous outbreaks. Deep community mistrust has also complicated efforts to control the virus, particularly in regions where misinformation and fear run high.
Congo’s struggle with Ebola is not new. The last outbreak, in Equateur province in 2022, claimed six lives. A far deadlier episode between 2018 and 2020 in eastern Congo killed over 1,000 people, making it the deadliest since the West African outbreak of 2014-2016, which took more than 11,000 lives across Guinea, Sierra Leone, and Liberia. Each outbreak has revealed the persistent challenges of containing Ebola—volatile security situations, limited resources, and the ever-present threat of the virus’s rapid, deadly spread.
Yet, there is hope. The deployment of mobile laboratories—such as the one set up in the Mweka health zone—allows for rapid testing of patient samples, enabling quicker isolation and treatment of confirmed cases. The use of the Ervebo vaccine, which has proven effective in previous outbreaks, offers a crucial layer of protection for contacts and health workers. And the coordinated efforts of local, national, and international teams provide a blueprint for managing outbreaks under difficult circumstances.
As the country confronts its 16th Ebola outbreak, the lessons of the past are shaping the response. Authorities are moving swiftly to identify and isolate cases, protect health workers, and engage communities in prevention efforts. The road ahead is uncertain, but with determination and the right resources, there is a path to halting the spread and saving lives.
For now, the people of Kasai province—and indeed all of Congo—are holding their breath, hoping that the swift actions taken will turn the tide against one of the world’s most feared viruses.
