Kinshasa, DR Congo – Health officials in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) have announced the recovery and discharge of the first two patients treated for Ebola virus disease in the Bulape health zone, Kasai Province.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) Regional Office for Africa confirmed the development on Tuesday via its official X handle, describing it as a “significant milestone” in the country’s ongoing fight against the virus, which was declared on September 4.
The recoveries were attributed to strengthened clinical care and rapid response measures rolled out over the past week, supported by the Ministry of Health, WHO, Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF), ALIMA, and other humanitarian partners.
“Appropriate control measures are being rolled out to curb the spread of the virus, save lives, and end the outbreak as quickly as possible,” WHO noted.
So far, 28 suspected cases including 15 deaths, among them four healthcare workers have been reported across Bulape, Bulape Com, Dikolo, and Mweka health zones. The case fatality ratio currently stands at 54 percent, with about 80 percent of suspected infections occurring in patients aged 15 years and older.
To bolster containment, an initial 400 doses of the Ervebo Ebola vaccine have been deployed to Bulape from Kinshasa, where 2,000 doses had been pre-positioned. Additional supplies are expected in the coming days.
This is the first Ebola outbreak in Kasai Province since 2008. Nationwide, the DRC has recorded 15 outbreaks since the virus was first identified in 1976. The most recent, in Equateur Province in 2022, was contained within three months through rapid intervention.
The current outbreak comes as Central and West Africa face multiple health and humanitarian emergencies, including cholera, malnutrition, and mass displacement.
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