Ebola death toll in DRC surges to at least 930 as outbreak gathers pace

The latest Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo is accelerating at an unprecedented pace, according to health authorities and the World Health Organization. As of Saturday, confirmed deaths reached at least 930, with 2,344 total confirmed cases recorded. The speed of transmission has alarmed global health officials, with 37 deaths occurring in a single 24-hour period from Friday to Saturday—among the highest daily increases since the outbreak was declared on May 15.

The WHO has characterized this outbreak as the third-largest in recorded history. According to WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, the previous 2018–2020 DRC outbreak required more than ten months to reach 2,000 confirmed cases. The current outbreak achieved that milestone in just two months, with the true case count potentially double the confirmed figure. Tedros noted that transmission is expanding faster than in any previous Ebola outbreak.

The outbreak originated in Ituri, a mineral-rich northeastern province, and has since spread to five DRC provinces and into neighbouring Uganda. However, Uganda is approaching virus-free status while the DRC continues to experience rapid spread. A significant challenge in Ituri, where deaths are climbing fastest, emerged when healthcare workers began striking last week over lack of compensation despite treating patients under dangerous conditions.

Detection efforts face obstacles, with more than 80 percent of new cases appearing outside known contact lists, indicating that transmission chains remain untracked. The health ministry reported 724 patients currently isolated in hospitals and said it is intensifying response efforts in affected areas. Despite challenges, the ministry recorded 22 new recoveries in a 24-hour period, indicating some progress in patient care and support capacity.