The Ebola epidemic in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), already the deadliest in the country’s history, has now spread to a sixth province in the north and threatens to cross into neighboring South Sudan. Authorities confirmed the grim milestone just three months after declaring the 17th outbreak of the virus.

The DRC declared its 17th Ebola epidemic on May 15, weeks behind schedule, following a pattern of delayed responses that has plagued the country’s past outbreaks. The current outbreak has already claimed over 2,128 lives out of 4,566 confirmed cases—a toll that surpasses the devastating 2018-2020 epidemic, which saw nearly 2,300 deaths from 3,500 cases.

Health experts warn this outbreak is spreading at an unprecedented pace globally. The Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) highlighted the alarming acceleration during a virtual briefing with journalists.

Previously, five provinces were affected: Ituri (bordering Uganda and South Sudan), North Kivu, South Kivu, Haut-Uélé, and Tshopo. Now, the virus has reached Bas-Uélé in the north, a province bordering the Central African Republic that had remained untouched until now. The first victim in Bas-Uélé traveled from Haut-Uélé, where Ebola cases were already confirmed, according to Africa CDC Director Jean Kaseya.

High-risk corridors threaten regional spread

The threat of transmission to South Sudan has intensified, with confirmed cases now located just 35 kilometers from the border. Mercy Corps, an international aid organization, sounded the alarm about the risk along high-risk movement corridors connecting the two nations.

The response efforts face severe challenges, including overwhelmed healthcare systems, limited access to clean water and sanitation, and fragile community trust. Insecurity further complicates operations, particularly in North and South Kivu, where conflict between government forces and the M23 armed group—backed by Rwanda—has divided territories and hindered access to affected areas.

Progress amid obstacles

South Kivu has recorded no new Ebola cases in over 42 days, prompting local health authorities to declare the end of its outbreak this week. Meanwhile, a suspected Ebola-related death was reported on a boat traveling the Congo River toward Kinshasa in early August, though no additional cases were detected among passengers, who were allowed to disembark near the capital.

Ebola, transmitted through contact with bodily fluids, causes severe hemorrhagic fever and has killed over 15,000 people across Africa in the past five decades. The World Health Organization (WHO) remains cautiously optimistic, stating it aims to reverse the upward trend within three months despite the mounting challenges.