DR Congo Discharges Last Ebola Patient as Countdown to End of Outbreak Begins
The last Ebola patient in the Democratic Republic of the Congo has been discharged, marking a significant milestone in efforts to end the recent outbreak in Kasai Province. The recovery begins a 42-day countdown to officially declaring the outbreak over if no new cases are confirmed.
Since the outbreak was declared on 4 September in the Bulape health zone, a total of 64 cases have been recorded, including 53 confirmed and 11 probable cases, with 19 patients recovering. No new infections have been reported since 25 September.
The outbreak occurred in a remote and difficult-to-reach area, presenting major challenges such as poor road access and limited infrastructure. Despite these difficulties, the Ministry of Health, with strong support from the World Health Organization (WHO) and partners, moved quickly to scale up the response.
WHO deployed multidisciplinary teams to strengthen surveillance, clinical care, infection prevention, logistics and community engagement. A 32-bed Ebola treatment centre, equipped with a two-bed Intensive Infectious Disease Treatment Module (IIDTM), was established in record time. This marked the first real-world deployment of the module in the region. In addition, more than 35,000 people in Bulape have been vaccinated against Ebola.
“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 helped to protect lives,” said Dr Mohamed Janabi, WHO Regional Director for Africa.
WHO and its partners remain on the ground, continuing to work closely with the government to maintain surveillance and ensure swift detection of any new cases. If no further cases are reported, the outbreak will be declared over in early December 2025.
