KINSHASA, DRC – The death toll from the ongoing Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has surpassed 500, underscoring fresh concerns about global preparedness for future pandemics, according to the World Health Organization (WHO).
Updated figures released by the UN health agency on Monday show that 1,561 confirmed Ebola cases have been recorded in the DRC since the outbreak was declared in mid-May, with 506 deaths confirmed so far. The outbreak has a case fatality rate of about 32 percent.
A total of 254 patients have recovered, while 354 suspected cases of the viral haemorrhagic fever remain under investigation by health authorities.
The outbreak, the DRC’s 17th Ebola episode, has spread across four northeastern provinces but remains heavily concentrated in Ituri, a mineral-rich region long destabilised by armed groups and insecurity.
Two Ebola-related deaths have also been reported in neighbouring Uganda, although health officials say the situation there is more stable. Of the 20 confirmed cases recorded in the country, 16 patients have recovered.
Rare Ebola strain complicates response
Health officials say the outbreak is being driven by the rare Bundibugyo strain of the Ebola virus — a variant for which there are currently no approved vaccines or targeted treatments.
However, a clinical trial testing two experimental therapies began in the DRC last week. The study is assessing the safety and effectiveness of the monoclonal antibody MBP134 and the antiviral drug remdesivir, administered both individually and in combination.
WHO issues global warning
The grim milestone of 500 confirmed deaths comes as WHO member states resume negotiations over unresolved sections of a landmark pandemic agreement aimed at preventing the chaos witnessed during the Covid-19 response.
WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus warned that the current Ebola crisis is a stark reminder that infectious disease threats remain ever-present.
“The next pandemic will not wait for us to be ready,” Tedros said. “The Ebola outbreak still unfolding in the DRC is proof of that. It is not hypothetical — it is happening now.”
He added that while Ebola may not be the next global pandemic, it remains a “painful reminder” that the threat of deadly outbreaks never disappears.
Humanitarian challenges and funding gaps
The UN humanitarian agency OCHA has raised alarm over worsening conditions in displacement camps in Ituri, where poor water, sanitation and hygiene facilities are fuelling transmission risks.
Confirmed Ebola cases have been reported in at least four displacement sites in the province.
More than 273,000 displaced people in Ituri are facing acute humanitarian needs, OCHA said, warning that funding shortfalls are limiting the scale and speed of response efforts.
The DRC’s humanitarian appeal for this year is only 54 percent funded, with $752 million received against a required $1.4 billion.
Escalating violence in South Kivu — one of the four provinces where Ebola has been detected — has also triggered new waves of displacement and severely restricted access for aid workers, complicating containment efforts.
Ebola spreads through close contact with infected bodily fluids. Health authorities continue to urge vigilance, rapid testing and isolation to curb further transmission.