Health authorities in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) have announced that the first two patients treated for Ebola in the Bulape health zone, Kasai Province, have made full recoveries and been discharged from the local treatment centre.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) Regional Office for Africa confirmed the development on Tuesday via its official X handle, describing it as a significant step forward in the country’s ongoing response to the outbreak, which was declared earlier this month.
According to WHO, the recoveries were achieved through improved clinical care and rapid intervention measures implemented over the past week. These efforts have been coordinated by the DRC Ministry of Health with the support of international partners, including Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF), ALIMA, and other humanitarian agencies.
“Appropriate control measures are being rolled out to curb the spread of the virus, save lives, and end the outbreak as quickly as possible,” the WHO noted.
The latest outbreak in Kasai Province was declared on September 4, following the confirmation of Ebola virus disease in the region. As of that date, 28 suspected cases, including 15 deaths—a case fatality ratio of 54 per cent—had been reported from Bulape, Bulape Com, Dikolo, and the Mweka health zone. Among the dead were four healthcare workers. WHO data indicates that roughly 80 per cent of the suspected cases involve individuals aged 15 years and older.
READ ALSO: Ebola Outbreak in DR Congo: NCDC Issues Public Health Advisory to Nigerians
In a bid to halt transmission, an initial 400 doses of the Ervebo Ebola vaccine have been delivered from the national stockpile in Kinshasa to Bulape, one of the outbreak’s epicentres. Additional doses are expected to reach other affected localities in the coming days.
The DRC has experienced 15 Ebola outbreaks since the virus was first identified in the country in 1976. The most recent outbreak, in Equateur Province in 2022, was brought under control within three months through rapid mobilisation of health resources.
The resurgence in Kasai comes as much of Central and West Africa grapples with overlapping health and humanitarian crises, including cholera outbreaks, malnutrition, and large-scale displacement, further complicating response efforts.