The Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has expanded to a sixth province in the country’s northern region, raising concerns about its potential spread to neighboring South Sudan. Health authorities confirmed the grim milestone as the crisis continues to intensify.

The DRC declared its 17th Ebola outbreak on May 15, months after the initial cases were detected. This outbreak has already surpassed previous ones in severity, with more cases and fatalities reported within just three months than any prior Ebola crisis in the country’s history.

The most devastating Ebola outbreak in DRC’s history, which occurred between 2018 and 2020, resulted in nearly 2,300 deaths out of 3,500 confirmed cases. The current crisis has already claimed over 2,128 lives from 4,566 confirmed cases, according to the latest official figures.

Five provinces in DRC had previously been affected: Ituri (bordering Uganda and South Sudan), North Kivu, South Kivu, Haut-Uélé, and Tshopo. However, health officials announced the first fatality in Bas-Uélé province—a region bordering the Central African Republic that had remained unaffected until now. The victim had traveled from Haut-Uélé, another affected province in the northeast.

The Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) has warned that the outbreak is spreading at an unprecedented rate globally. In just three months, the number of cases and deaths in DRC has already exceeded the totals recorded during the first three months of the 2014 West Africa Ebola epidemic—the deadliest on record.

The World Health Organization (WHO) remains cautiously optimistic, stating that it aims to reverse the upward trend of the outbreak within three months.

High-risk corridors fueling spread

International humanitarian organization Mercy Corps has raised alarms about the risk of Ebola reaching South Sudan. Confirmed cases are now located just 35 kilometers from the South Sudanese border, along high-risk movement corridors.

The response to the outbreak faces significant challenges, including overwhelmed healthcare services, limited access to clean water and sanitation, and fragile community trust. Insecurity in the North Kivu and South Kivu provinces—where armed conflict between government forces and the M23 rebel group persists—further complicates efforts to contain the virus.

Progress amid challenges

South Kivu recently marked 42 days without new Ebola cases, prompting local health authorities to declare the end of the outbreak in the province. Additionally, a suspected Ebola case reported on a boat traveling the Congo River toward Kinshasa in early August was cleared after no further cases were detected among passengers, who were allowed to disembark near the capital.

Ebola, transmitted through contact with bodily fluids, causes severe hemorrhagic fever and has claimed over 15,000 lives across Africa over the past five decades.