Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo—15 deaths, four health workers included, and 28 suspected cases of Ebola virus disease, have been reported on Thursday, 4th September, 2025.
The outbreak was announced by the DR Congo health authorities, affecting Bulape and Mweka health zone in Kasai Province where investigations have been carried out. The cases and the deaths recorded were reported to be showing symptoms such as fever, vomiting, diarrhoea, and haemorrhage.
The outbreak broke out from Ebola Zaire caused by Ebola virus disease, the information was confirmed by the samples tested at the National Institute of Biochemical Research in the capital of Kinshasa, DR Congo.
To keep the outbreak in control, the World Health Organization (WHO) has deployed its teams of experts from epidemiology, infection prevention and control, and case management, to join the country’s Rapid Response Team in Kasai Province. The move was initiated to rapidly strengthen disease surveillance, treatment plan, infection prevention and control in health facilities.
Provincial risk communication experts have also been sanctioned to commence community outreach through massive education and effective sensitization on how to protect themselves. Also, WHO has set a plan in motion to deliver supplies that will aid in fighting the disease in the affected areas.
“We’re acting with determination to rapidly halt the spread of the virus and protect communities,” said Dr Mohamed Janabi, WHO Regional Director for Africa. “Banking on the country’s long-standing expertise in controlling viral disease outbreaks, we’re working closely with the health authorities to quickly scale up key response measures to end the outbreak as soon as possible,” he added.
Ebola Trends in DR Congo
Since the discovery of the Ebola virus disease in 1976, the Democratic Republic of the Congo has witnessed 15 outbreaks. In Kasai Province where the recent incident started, the outbreak of the disease has earlier been reported two times: in 2007 and 2008.
The last time the country was plagued by the disease was when the outbreak of Ebola virus hit the North-Western Equateur Province in April 2022. That year, the robust efforts of health authorities helped the country in keeping the outbreak under control, killing six people after three months.
The outbreak was proved deadlier in 2018-20, as 2,000 people reportedly died from it.
What Is Ebola Virus Disease
Ebola virus is a rare but severe disease, often fatal illness in humans. The virus, believed to have originated from fruit bats, was firstly discovered in an area very close to the Ebola River in 1976, now DR Congo.
Transmission usually happens through contact with the blood, secretions, organs or other bodily fluids of infected animals like fruit bats. Human-to-human transmission also occurs through direct contact with blood, objects or body fluids of a person who is sick or has died from Ebola.
“The country has a stockpile of treatments, as well as 2000 doses of the Ervebo Ebola vaccine, effective to protect against this type of Ebola, already prepositioned in Kinshasa that will be quickly moved to Kasai to vaccinate contacts and frontline health workers,” WHO confirmed.