By Bulape, Democratic Republic of the Congo — The Democratic Republic of the Congo has reached a major milestone in its fight against Ebola after the last patient was discharged from treatment, signaling the start of a 42-day countdown to officially declare the outbreak over.
Health authorities confirmed that no new infections have been reported since 25 September. In total, 64 cases including 53 confirmed and 11 probable — were recorded since the outbreak began on 4 September in Bulape health zone, Kasai Province. Of these, 19 patients have recovered.
The outbreak struck a remote and hard-to-reach area, posing serious logistical challenges due to poor road networks and limited health infrastructure. Despite this, the Ministry of Health, supported by the World Health Organization (WHO) and other partners, mounted a swift and coordinated response to contain the disease.
WHO deployed multidisciplinary teams to strengthen surveillance, clinical care, infection prevention and control, logistics, and community engagement. A 32-bed Ebola treatment centre, including a two-bed Intensive Infectious Disease Treatment Module (IIDTM) was established in record time, marking the first real-world deployment of the module outside a simulation setting in the region.
Vaccination efforts also played a critical role, with more than 35,000 people inoculated in and around Bulape.
Dr Mohamed Janabi, WHO Regional Director for Africa, hailed the rapid response and strong collaboration that helped turn the tide. “The recovery of the last patient just six weeks after the outbreak was declared is a remarkable achievement that shows how strong partnership, national expertise and determination have contributed to overcoming challenges to save and protect lives,” he said.
WHO and its partners continue to work alongside the Congolese government to maintain surveillance and ensure rapid detection of any potential new cases. If no further infections are recorded, the country is expected to declare the outbreak officially over in early December 2025.
