KINSHASA, Democratic Republic of the Congo / AfricaWire.IO / – The Ebola death toll in the Democratic Republic of the Congo has risen to 5,340, with 10,351 confirmed cases recorded as of October 29, the country’s Ministry of Health said. In a statement published on its website, the ministry put the case fatality rate at 51.6%. The outbreak, caused by the Bundibugyo strain, was declared on May 15. It is now the second-largest Ebola outbreak on record.
The toll rose sharply after a data harmonization exercise in Ituri province. The review raised the number of deaths recorded in Ituri from 3,436 to 3,750, according to the ministry’s situation report. Before the adjustment, the national count of confirmed deaths stood at 5,026, a fatality rate of 48.6%. Health officials said the work aims to make epidemic statistics more reliable. Revised and consolidated figures are due in the coming days.
On October 29 alone, 77 new confirmed cases were reported across four provinces. North Kivu recorded 45, Ituri 28, Haut-Uele 3 and Tshopo 1. Health authorities also reported 34 deaths that day, including 20 in the community and 14 in treatment centers. Another 22 patients recovered after testing negative twice, bringing total recoveries to 2,788. Of the 430 samples analyzed that day, 17.9% tested positive for the virus.
Ituri remains the outbreak’s epicenter
Ituri accounts for 71% of all confirmed cases, with 7,346 infections and 3,750 deaths. North Kivu has recorded 2,436 cases and 1,356 deaths, a fatality rate of 55.7%. Haut-Uele has reported 453 cases and 200 deaths. The virus has reached 67 of the country’s 178 health zones across eight provinces. These are Ituri, North Kivu, South Kivu, Haut-Uele, Bas-Uele, Tshopo, Sud-Ubangi and Nord-Ubangi.
Frontline workers have paid a heavy price, with 270 infected so far, including 180 in Ituri and 46 in North Kivu. Contact tracing also remains a challenge. Of 37,367 contacts under follow-up, 84.5% were seen in the previous 24 hours, below the 95% target. A total of 1,101 patients were in isolation or treatment centers. The World Health Organization has said about a third of deaths occurred outside treatment centers before patients could be tested.
Vaccine research continues as virus spreads
There is no approved vaccine or treatment for the Bundibugyo strain. In Ituri, frontline workers are receiving the Ervebo vaccine with support from Doctors Without Borders, while researchers study its effectiveness against the strain. The ministry said 2,081 people had been vaccinated there by October 29. The outbreak has also spread beyond the country’s borders. Kenya has reported nine cases and two deaths, while Nigeria has confirmed one case.
Some areas are showing progress, with 12 health zones going at least 42 days without a new confirmed case. A ministry report for October 30 recorded 63 new cases, bringing the totals to 10,414 cases and 5,372 deaths. The positivity rate fell to 14.4% that day. The outbreak passed 10,000 confirmed cases last week. Officials said revised figures from Ituri will be released in the coming days.