Health officials in the Democratic Republic of Congo have announced that the first two patients treated for Ebola in the Bulape health zone, Kasai Province, have fully recovered. They were discharged from the local treatment centre.
The World Health Organization’s Regional Office for Africa shared the update on its official X handle on Tuesday.
The recovery of the patients is seen as a big step forward in the country’s fight against the deadly virus, which resurfaced in the region earlier this month.
The recoveries were achieved through stronger medical care and quick response measures introduced over the past week.
These efforts were made possible by the DR Congo Ministry of Health, with support from the WHO, Medicines Sans Frontiers, ALIMA, and other humanitarian partners.
According to the WHO, the government and its partners have worked to improve clinical care and roll out measures to stop the spread of the virus, save lives, and bring the outbreak under control.
Health officials in DR Congo first declared the Ebola outbreak in Kasai Province on September 4.
The outbreak comes at a difficult time, as parts of Central and West Africa are already facing several health and humanitarian problems, including cholera, malnutrition, and displacement.
The last Ebola outbreak in DR Congo was reported in April 2022 in Equateur Province. It was contained within three months, thanks to strong efforts by health authorities. Kasai Province itself recorded previous outbreaks in 2007 and 2008. Since 1976, the country has reported 15 outbreaks in total.
Ebola virus disease is a rare but severe illness in humans. It often leads to death. The virus is believed to be carried by fruit bats and can spread to humans through contact with infected animals.
Among people, Ebola spreads through direct contact with the blood or body fluids of someone who is sick or has died from the disease. It can also spread through contaminated objects or the body of someone who died from Ebola.
As of September 4, 2025, WHO said 28 suspected cases had been reported in Kasai Province, including 15 deaths. This puts the case fatality rate at 54 per cent. Among those who died were four healthcare workers. Most of the suspected cases are people aged 15 years and older.
To help control the outbreak, WHO said 400 doses of the Erebor Ebola vaccine had already been delivered to Bulape, one of the hardest-hit areas. The doses were taken from the country’s stockpile of 2,000 vaccines stored in Kinshasa, the capital.
More vaccine doses are expected to be delivered to affected communities in the coming days.
