In the remote reaches of Kasai province, southern Congo, a deadly new Ebola outbreak is racing through communities, leaving health officials and aid organizations scrambling to contain its spread amid dire shortages of funds and resources. Since Congolese authorities announced the outbreak on September 4, 2025, the World Health Organization (WHO) has reported 57 cases and 35 deaths—a staggering fatality rate of over 61%, according to data compiled by the Associated Press and WHO. The situation is particularly harrowing given Kasai’s isolation, located more than 1,000 kilometers (620 miles) from the nation’s bustling capital, Kinshasa, and hampered by poor road networks and limited infrastructure.
The epicenter of this crisis is the Bulape health zone, a region now synonymous with tragedy and exhaustion. The outbreak remains concentrated in six health areas: Bambalaie, Bulape, Bulape Communautaire, Dikolo, Ingongo, and Mpianga. The numbers paint a grim picture: among the 57 reported cases, 47 are confirmed and 10 are considered probable. The virus has not spared the caregivers—five health workers are among the confirmed cases, a reminder of the risks faced by those on the front lines.
Children are bearing a disproportionate share of the burden. According to WHO and Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention figures, individuals affected range from infants to the elderly, but children aged 0–9 make up 23% of all cases. Women, too, are hit hard, accounting for 61% of infections, with a fatality rate of 56% among females compared to 73% among males. Vulnerable groups—children, housekeepers, and farmers—are at particular risk, underscoring the need for targeted outreach and support.
The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) has sounded an urgent alarm, warning that health facilities are overwhelmed and woefully under-resourced. "We urgently need our partners and donors to step up and support this lifesaving response to ensure we can contain the outbreak quickly and protect the most vulnerable communities," said Susan Nzisa Mbalu, head of communications for IFRC Africa, in a statement reported by the Associated Press. The only treatment center in Bulape is operating at 119% capacity, straining to provide care as clean water and protective equipment run critically low.
Funding shortfalls are exacerbating every challenge. The IFRC has appealed for 20 million Swiss francs (about $25 million) to help contain the outbreak, aiming to reach 965,000 people with urgent assistance. So far, the organization has allocated just 1.75 million Swiss francs ($2.2 million) in emergency funds—a fraction of what is needed. Meanwhile, the WHO’s current funding consists of a $2 million emergency allocation and around $2.3 million from the United Kingdom, Germany, and the Gavi vaccine alliance. This is far below the WHO’s projected $20 million needed to respond adequately over the next three months, and a world away from the Congolese authorities’ national response plan, which comes with an estimated price tag of $78 million.
Health officials are particularly concerned about the impact of recent U.S. funding cuts. In previous outbreaks, American support—such as the $11.5 million provided by the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) during the 2021 Ebola response—was pivotal. This time, the absence of robust U.S. backing is keenly felt. Mathias Mossoko, the Ebola Response Coordinator in Bulape, acknowledged that the U.S. government has provided "some small support," but details remain scant. "If USAID were to be involved, that would be good," echoed Amitié Bukidi, chief medical officer of the Mweka health zone, in comments to the Associated Press.
Logistical hurdles are compounding the crisis. As of September 21, only 1,740 people in the three most affected health zones—Bulape, Bulambae, and Mweka—had been vaccinated, despite the Bulape zone alone having a population of over 212,000, according to United Nations figures. The initial response included just 400 doses of the Ervebo vaccine, with more on the way. The International Coordinating Group on Vaccine Provision has approved an additional 45,000 vaccines, and a stockpile of 2,000 doses is already in the country. Yet the vaccination campaign has been hampered by logistical challenges, especially the lack of storage infrastructure in Bulape. Vaccines must be transported in small batches, leading to costly delays.
Jean Paul Mbantshi, chief medical officer of the Bulape health zone, described the daunting resource requirements: "Treating Ebola demands enormous resources, even for a single patient." He emphasized the desperate need for ambulances to transport patients from remote areas before they become highly contagious, as well as more protective equipment, medicine, and additional vaccines. "All this costs money, we need more support," Mbantshi told the Associated Press.
On the ground, the response is still in its infancy. Bukidi noted that most cases are occurring outside health centers, making it even harder to trace and contain the virus. "We would like to expand our community outreach, especially by raising awareness among opinion leaders, to reach farmers who are hardest to reach," he said. His team is in need of motorcycles to access remote, hard-to-reach areas, a logistical necessity in a province where infrastructure is all but absent.
The outbreak, attributed to the Zaire species of the virus, is the 16th Ebola episode in Congo since the disease was first identified in 1976. The timing could hardly be worse. The country is already grappling with ongoing conflicts involving rebel groups, particularly in the eastern regions, which have further strained an already fragile health care system. The result is a disaster with multiple fronts—medical, logistical, and financial—each compounding the other.
WHO spokesperson Tarik Jasarevic summed up the stakes: "Without immediate support, gaps in operations will persist, jeopardizing efforts to contain the outbreak and protect vulnerable communities." The warning is clear and urgent. The world has seen the devastation Ebola can wreak when left unchecked, and the lessons of past outbreaks hang over the current crisis like a dark cloud.
For now, the people of Kasai province and the health workers risking their lives to save others are left hoping that the world will answer the call. With the outbreak still in its early stages and the needs still so great, the next few weeks will be critical in determining whether this Ebola crisis can be contained—or whether it will become yet another chapter in the region’s long struggle with deadly disease.