Ebola outbreak in DRC ongoing: 7,820 cases, 3,779 deaths; Africa CDC warns
During a Thursday webinar, the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention reported that the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo remains active, with 7,820 cases and 3,779 deaths nationwide. The outbreak has affected 63 health zones across seven provinces, of which 49 zones are still in the active phase and continue to report cases. While cases in Ituri, the outbreak's epicentre, have declined by 25% over the past three weeks and deaths dropped by 31%, North Kivu shows a contrasting trend: cases rose by 56% and deaths by 19% in the same period, pushing its case-fatality ratio to about 60.5% against the national average of roughly 48%. Children under five are among the most affected groups, prompting collaboration with UNICEF to strengthen paediatric case management. Community transmission accounts for about 65% of reported cases, and contact tracing has improved from roughly 10 contacts per case at the outbreak's start to about 20 per case now—still below the target of 60. Laboratory capacity has expanded to 24 facilities able to conduct more than 3,400 tests daily, supported by over 100,000 test kits supplied to affected and neighbouring areas. For Nigerians, the persistent outbreak underscores the need for vigilance: avoid non-essential travel to affected zones, observe hygiene measures, and follow updates from the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and the World Health Organization. Will you adjust your travel plans or support regional response efforts given the ongoing risk?