Ebola outbreak in Democratic Republic of Congo surpasses 2,000 deaths

The Ebola epidemic in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has now claimed over 2,000 lives, according to the latest official figures released this week. The outbreak, which has spread across multiple regions in the northeastern and eastern parts of the country, is already being described as the deadliest ever recorded in Congolese history.

Over 4,300 confirmed cases reported

Health authorities have confirmed 4,381 Ebola cases, with 2,011 resulting in fatalities—a mortality rate of 45.9%. The outbreak originated in Ituri province before spreading to neighboring regions such as North Kivu, areas plagued by persistent conflict and severely weakened healthcare systems. This crisis now rivals the devastating 2018-2020 epidemic, which recorded nearly 2,300 deaths.

Testing began on existing vaccines for current Ebola variant

The current outbreak stems from the Bundibugyo variant, for which no approved vaccine exists. The World Health Organization has approved accelerated clinical trials to assess the effectiveness of Ervebo—the only Ebola vaccine currently licensed—against this strain. Given its proven safety record, authorities are moving directly to Phase 3 trials, typically conducted on a large scale.

The Gavi Vaccine Alliance will provide doses from the global Ervebo stockpile, which contains approximately 500,000 doses. The vaccine is manufactured by American pharmaceutical company Merck.

Multiple vaccines under development for Bundibugyo variant

Several other vaccine candidates are in development to combat the Bundibugyo strain. Canadian regulators have greenlit clinical trials for Moderna’s candidate, while Hilleman Laboratories and the University of Oxford are advancing their own versions. In response to the escalating crisis, the United States has pledged an additional $242 million in aid to bolster DRC’s Ebola response efforts.