By Samantha Linda
Health officials in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) have declared a new outbreak of Ebola virus disease in Kasai Province.
28 suspected cases and 15 deaths, including four health workers, have been reported as of 4th September, 2025.
The cases were found in Bulape and Mweka health zones, where patients showed symptoms such as fever, vomiting, diarrhoea, and bleeding. Samples were tested at the National Institute of Biomedical Research in Kinshasa and confirmed to be Ebola Zaire, one of the most dangerous types of the virus.
To contain the outbreak, a Rapid Response Team from the Ministry of Health, together with experts from the World Health Organization (WHO), has been sent to Kasai. The teams include specialists in disease surveillance, case management, and infection prevention. Communication officers are also working with communities to teach people how to protect themselves and reduce the risk of infection.
WHO has delivered two tonnes of medical supplies, including protective gear, laboratory equipment, and medicines. However, access to Kasai is a challenge, as reaching the area requires a full day of driving from Tshikapa, the provincial capital, and there are few flights available.
“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. He added that the DRC has a long history of fighting Ebola and has the knowledge needed to control the outbreak.
The country also has a stockpile of Ebola treatments and 2,000 doses of the Ervebo vaccine in Kinshasa. These will be moved quickly to Kasai to vaccinate health workers and people who have been in contact with patients.
Ebola is a serious and often deadly disease that spreads through direct contact with the blood or body fluids of an infected person, or through objects contaminated with such fluids. It can also spread during burial practices if precautions are not taken. The disease first appeared in the DRC in 1976, and the country has faced 15 outbreaks since then.
The most recent outbreak before this one was in Equateur Province in 2022, which was contained within three months. Kasai itself has also seen Ebola before, in 2007 and 2008.
Health officials warn that more cases are likely because transmission is ongoing. Teams on the ground are tracing contacts and monitoring communities closely. With vaccines, treatments, and international support, authorities hope to bring this outbreak under control as quickly as possible.
