2025 Kasaï Province Ebola outbreak

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2025 Kasaï Province Ebola outbreak
Democratic Republic of the Congo (26 provinces) - Kasai.svg
Disease Ebola
Virus strain Zaire ebolavirus
LocationDemocratic Republic of the Congo
Date20 August 2025 – ongoing
Suspected cases‡68 Confirmed, probable or Suspected Cases
Deaths
16
‡Suspected cases have not been confirmed by laboratory tests as being due to this strain, although some other strains may have been ruled out.

An outbreak of the Zaire ebolavirus (EBOV) was declared in Kasai Province in the Democratic Republic of Congo by the country's Ministry of Public Health on 4 September 2025. [1] [2] At 68 least confirmed, probable or suspected cases have been recorded, while at least 16 people have died. [3]

Contents

Background

Since Ebola was first identified in 1976 the Democratic Republic of the Congo (or Zaire) has had fourteen other outbreaks of Zaire ebolavirus (EBOV), and also had one outbreak of another Ebola variant of Bundibugyo virus disease (BDBV). Kasai Province has had two of these outbreaks. [2]

DateVirusHuman
cases		Human
deaths		 CFR Description
Aug–Nov 2007EBOV26418771%Outbreak was declared in September in Luebo and Mweka health zones of the Kasaï-Occidental province. [4]
Dec 2008–Feb 2009EBOV321445%Occurred in the Mweka and Luebo health zones of the Kasaï-Occidental province. [5]

Epidemiology

As of 12 September 2025, a total of 68 cases (confirmed, probable or suspected) had been identified. [3]

Timeline

On 20 August, the index case of the outbreak, a 34-year old pregnant woman who was a resident of Boulapé in the Boulapé health zone was admitted to a Boulapé health centre and died of multiple organ failure on 25 August. [6] [7]

By 4 September when the outbreak was declared, 28 cases and 15 deaths (confirmed, probable or suspected) had been identified of which 14 deaths were in Boulapé and one death was in Mweka. [2] [6] The death toll included four medical workers including nurses and lab technicians. [6]

By 6 September 31 cases and 14 deaths (confirmed, probable or suspected) had been identified in Boulapé health zone, and 1 case and 1 death (confirmed, probable or suspected) in Mweka heath zone. [8] On September 7 the head of the Mweka health zone Dr. Amitié Bukidi said all 4 health zones (Boulapé, Mweka, Kakenge and Mushenge) of Mweka Territory had received suspected cases, while the chief medical officer of the Boulapé health zone Dr. Jean Paul Mikobi said many had fled their villages which had affected tracing and monitoring. [9] [10] By 10 September cases had risen to 42 with 15 deaths (confirmed, probable or suspected). [11]

Spread outside Mweka Territory

By 12 September the four health zones of Boulapé, Mweka and Mushenge in Mweka Territory, and Dekese in Dekese Territory had officially registered cases with a combined total of 68 cases and 16 deaths (confirmed, probable or suspected) as reported to the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. [3] [12] This marked the first official spread of the disease outside of Mweka Territory. [3] [12]

Health ZoneCasesDeathsLast update
Boulapé61 Confirmed or Suspected15 Confirmed or Suspected12 September 2025
Mweka4 Confirmed or Suspected1 Confirmed or Suspected12 September 2025
Mushenge2 Confirmed or Suspected12 September 2025
Dekese1 Confirmed or Suspected12 September 2025
Total68 Confirmed or Suspected16 Confirmed or Suspected12 September 2025 [3]

Response

The DRC health ministry declared an outbreak of Zaire ebolavirus (EBOV) on 4 September after the first samples were taken and confirmed by the National Institute of Biomedical Research in the capital Kinshasa. A Rapid Response Team of the health authorities in the DRC were joined by World Health Organization (WHO) experts and deployed to Kasai Province by that same day. [1] The WHO ordered the release of 2,000 doses of Ebola vaccines that had been placed on standby in Kinshasa to vaccinate contacts and health workers. [13] On 5 September, authorities in Mweka Territory imposed a suspension of classes and graduation ceremonies and the closure of weekly markets. [9] A UN peacekeeping helicopter delivered Ebola vaccines to Boulapé on 12 September. [14]

Transmission and virology

Ebola is mainly spread through contact with bodily fluids. The average case fatality rate of Ebola (all 4 viruses) is 50%. [15]

References

  1. 1 2 "Democratic Republic of the Congo declares Ebola virus disease outbreak in Kasai Province". WHO Africa. Retrieved 5 September 2025.
  2. 1 2 3 "Congo's health ministry announces a new Ebola outbreak". AP News. 4 September 2025. Retrieved 4 September 2025.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 "Ebola cases in Congo rise as authorities race to contain spread of outbreak, health agency says". AP News. 12 September 2025. Retrieved 12 September 2025.
  4. ↑ Centers For Disease Control. "Outbreak History". Centers for Disease Control. Retrieved 6 September 2025.
  5. ↑ Global Alert and Response (17 February 2009). "End of Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo". Disease Outbreak News. Geneva, Switzerland: World Health Organization. Archived from the original on 19 February 2009. Retrieved 27 February 2011.
  6. 1 2 3 Farmer, Ben (5 September 2025). "At least 15 dead in Ebola outbreak in DRC". The Telegraph. Telegraph Media Group. Retrieved 5 September 2025.
  7. ↑ "Congo declares new Ebola outbreak three years after last". Reuters. 5 September 2025. Retrieved 5 September 2025.
  8. ↑ "Compte officiel du Ministère de la Santé Publique, Hygiène et Prévoyance Sociale de la République Démocratique du Congo on Twitter". Twitter. Retrieved 6 September 2025.
  9. 1 2 "Congo has announced a new Ebola outbreak. Here's what to know". AP News. Retrieved 7 September 2025.
  10. ↑ "DRC - IDP and Returnee Overview in Kasai". International Organization for Migration. 24 January 2023. Retrieved 8 September 2025.
  11. ↑ Schnirring, Lisa (10 September 2025). "Suspected cases rise in DR Congo Ebola outbreak". Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy (CIDRAP). Retrieved 10 September 2025.
  12. 1 2 Schnirring, Lisa (12 September 2025). "Suspected cases in DR Congo Ebola outbreak rise to 68". Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy (CIDRAP). Retrieved 12 September 2025.
  13. ↑ "Congo to vaccinate health workers, contacts amid ebola outbreak". Africanews. Retrieved 6 September 2025.
  14. ↑ "Ebola vaccine reaches epicenter of Congo outbreak as officials race to contain spread". AP News. Retrieved 12 September 2025.
  15. ↑ "Ebola virus disease". WHO. Archived from the original on 28 April 2024. Retrieved 21 September 2022.
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