Outbreak of Ebola Virus Disease in Democratic Republic of the Congo - Kasai Province

Samples tested on Sept. 3 at the National Institute of Biomedical Research in Kinshasa confirmed the cause of the outbreak as Ebola Zaire, caused by EVD. The results obtained from whole genome sequencing suggest that the outbreak is a new zoonotic spillover event and not linked to previous outbreaks in the area. With support from the WHO and partners, the DRC's Ministry of Health is implementing public health response measures to contain the outbreak. A national Rapid Response Team has been deployed to Kasai Province to rapidly strengthen disease surveillance, treatment, and infection prevention and control in health facilities.    

Ebola outbreaks in the DRC are recurrent, as the virus is present in animal reservoirs in many parts of the country. The current outbreak occurs after almost three years without a confirmed EVD outbreak in the country; the last being a single case identified in Beni city, North Kivu, in 2022.  

The current EVD outbreak is occurring in a complex epidemiological and humanitarian context. The DRC is facing several outbreaks, including mpox, cholera, and measles. In addition, the country is experiencing a long-term economic and political crisis, limiting the country's resources and capacity to respond to the current outbreak effectively. The outbreak's epicenter is near Tshikapa, the capital of Kasai Province, and close to the Angolan border. While the affected district is rural and hard to reach, frequent population movement increases the risk of spread. The remoteness of the affected area also makes it challenging for responders to reach due to impassable roads and natural barriers.  

Epidemiological investigations are ongoing, with transmission chains and the source of the outbreak still unconfirmed, leaving the identification of further cases possible. This represents the most complete data available as of Sept. 26.

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