New Ebola Outbreak in DRC’s Kasai Province: 81 Cases, 28 Deaths — What We Know

New Delhi, 17 September, 2025: n September 2025, health authorities in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) confirmed a new outbreak of Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) in Kasai Province. This marks the 16th recorded Ebola outbreak in the country since the virus was first identified in 1976. As of mid-September, 81 confirmed cases have been reported with 28 deaths. The outbreak is caused by the Zaire strain, the most virulent among Ebola species. With cases affecting health workers, remote zones involved, and limited infrastructure, the situation has raised serious concern but has also triggered swift countermeasures.

Epidemiology & Key Figures

• Outbreak declaration: Officially declared on 4 September 2025 after laboratory confirmation.
• Index case: The first known patient was a 34-year-old pregnant woman from Boulapé in Bulape health zone. She was admitted on 20 August with fever, bloody diarrhea, vomiting, and general weakness. She died on 25 August from multi-organ failure. Two health workers who treated her also became infected and died.
• Virus strain: Confirmed to be Zaire ebolavirus (EBOV), the most severe strain historically. Genetic analyses suggest this outbreak likely resulted from a new spillover event rather than continuation of older outbreaks in Kasai.

Case Counts, Deaths, and Spread

• As of mid-September, 81 confirmed cases and 28 confirmed deaths have been recorded.
• Among those deaths are healthcare workers, highlighting the risks faced by frontline responders.
• The outbreak began in Bulape, later spread to Mushenge and Dekese health zones, showing expansion beyond the initial cluster.
• Demographics show that about 80% of suspected and confirmed cases are in people aged 15 years and older.

How Ebola Spreads & Symptoms

Understanding the disease is critical to controlling it:

• Transmission: The virus spreads through direct contact with blood, bodily fluids, or tissues of infected people or animals. Contaminated surfaces and caregiving practices also facilitate spread. Traditional burial rituals involving direct handling of bodies pose a major risk.
• Natural reservoir: Fruit bats are considered the natural hosts of Ebola. Spillover to humans can occur through contact with infected animals such as primates or bats. Genetic evidence suggests a new spillover event caused this outbreak.
• Incubation period: Typically 2–21 days, most commonly around a week. Individuals are not infectious until symptoms appear.
• Symptoms: Fever, fatigue, muscle pain, headache, and sore throat in the early stages. These may progress to vomiting, diarrhea, rash, organ dysfunction, and sometimes hemorrhage. Pregnant women face particularly high risks.

Case Fatality Rate & Risk Level

• The case fatality rate is about 35% so far, based on 28 deaths among 81 cases. While lower than the highest recorded in history, it remains significant.
• Risk assessment currently stands as high within DRC, moderate at the regional level, and low globally.

Challenges in the Ground Response

Containing the outbreak faces multiple obstacles:

1. Remoteness and Access: Kasai is geographically isolated, with limited transport infrastructure. Travel to the provincial capital can take days.
2. Logistics and Cold Chain: Vaccines require strict cold storage. Transporting and preserving them in rural zones is difficult.
3. Funding Gaps: International donor fatigue and underfunding are affecting rapid scale-up of the response.
4. Healthcare Worker Safety: Protective equipment is not always available or sufficient, putting frontline staff at risk.
5. Cultural Practices: Funeral and burial traditions involving direct contact with the deceased can accelerate transmission.

Response Measures Underway

Authorities and partners have deployed multiple strategies to contain the outbreak:

• Enhanced Surveillance: Rapid response teams are monitoring affected health zones, tracing contacts, and expanding surveillance to neighboring areas.
• Vaccination Campaigns: Thousands of doses of the Ervebo vaccine have been deployed under a ring vaccination strategy, targeting health workers, contacts of confirmed cases, and high-risk individuals.
• Case Management: Isolation units are being established. Patients receive supportive care such as rehydration and management of symptoms. Experimental therapies, including monoclonal antibodies, are being provided where possible.
• Infection Prevention and Control: Hospitals and health centers are reinforcing hygiene protocols, providing PPE, and ensuring safe burial practices.
• Community Engagement: Campaigns are underway to educate the public about how the virus spreads, why safe burial practices matter, and when to seek care.

Historical Context

• This is the 16th Ebola outbreak in DRC since the first in 1976.
• Kasai Province previously experienced outbreaks in 2007 and 2008-09.
• The most recent outbreak before this one occurred in Equateur Province in 2022.

Public Health Implications

• High Fatality: With more than a third of cases resulting in death, the outbreak poses a serious risk. Fatality rates could rise if access to healthcare remains limited.
• Potential for Spread: While contained to Kasai so far, mobility and poor infrastructure make cross-border spread possible.
• Strain on Health System: Already fragile healthcare systems in rural DRC risk being overwhelmed. Protecting staff and resources is vital.
• Need for Swift Action: Early detection, isolation, and rapid vaccination are critical for stopping the outbreak before it grows larger.

Protecting Individuals & Communities

Key preventive measures include:

• Avoiding direct contact with anyone showing Ebola symptoms.
• Practicing safe hygiene, including frequent handwashing and disinfecting shared surfaces.
• Adapting funeral and burial practices to prevent direct handling of bodies.
• Seeking immediate medical care at the onset of symptoms such as fever, vomiting, or diarrhea.

Key Takeaways

The outbreak has mobilized support from international and regional health bodies, providing vaccines, treatment supplies, laboratory testing, and epidemiological expertise. Coordination among global organizations and the DRC government is central to the response.

The future of the outbreak depends on how quickly containment measures succeed. The challenges are real — remoteness, limited health infrastructure, and high risk to medical workers — but with adequate vaccines, treatment options, and community engagement, the outbreak can be stopped before escalating further.

The Ebola outbreak in Kasai Province is a reminder of how quickly dangerous pathogens can re-emerge and threaten communities. With 81 confirmed cases and 28 deaths so far, the stakes are high. The coming weeks will be critical in determining whether this outbreak remains localized or grows into a wider emergency.

The crisis highlights the importance of investing in strong health systems, rapid response mechanisms, and global solidarity in the fight against infectious diseases.