The Democratic Republic of the Congo is seeing a decline in Ebola transmission, with early signs of a downward trend in the past three weeks. In the week ending 28 September 2025, seven cases were reported from Bulape Health Zone in Kasai Province—six confirmed and one probable—down from 11 confirmed cases the previous week. As of 1 October, no new cases have been reported, bringing the cumulative total to 64 cases (53 confirmed and 11 probable) and 42 deaths.
Response efforts have been strengthened over the last three weeks, achieving notable progress in contact monitoring, clinical care, and infection‑prevention measures. By 1 October, 97 % of the more than 1,000 listed contacts were under monitoring, and an increasing number of alerts are being received and investigated promptly. The treatment centre in Bulape has been expanded to a 44‑bed facility, and community engagement has been intensified. Vaccination campaigns have reached over 8 000 frontline health workers, contacts of confirmed cases, and their contacts, with a new strategy targeting 18 000 doses in 19 localities of Bulape to protect at‑risk populations and curb virus spread.
The World Health Organization, together with partners such as the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention, UNICEF, and Médecins Sans Frontières, is working closely with the Congolese government to ensure swift, effective outbreak control. WHO Regional Director for Africa Dr. Mohamed Janabi emphasized the need to sustain and intensify life‑saving measures, noting that each day without a case and each recovered patient brings the region closer to ending the outbreak.
Continued effort remains essential to enhance response operations in hotspots and maintain progress. Additional financial resources are required; the Regional Strategic Preparedness and Response Plan calls for approximately $66.6 million to support the National Response Plan. This plan aims to strengthen preparedness capacities and build long‑term health‑system resilience, focusing on water and sanitation, cold‑chain facilities, laboratory capacity, and human resources.
With the outbreak now localized in Bulape, the international community is closely monitoring the situation. The progress achieved so far is significant, and the next steps will be critical in determining the outbreak’s outcome.
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