DR Congo: Early access to care, oxygen key to Ebola survival rates – WHO

DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF THE CONGO (DRC), GENEVA, BUNIA (ITURI PROVINCE), 30 SEPTEMBER 2026 —

The World Health Organization (WHO) has issued a stark warning that early access to medical care and reliable oxygen supply are decisive factors in determining survival rates for patients suffering from the Democratic Republic of the Congo’s (DRC) largest-ever Ebola outbreak.

The scale of the crisis has intensified, with Congolese authorities confirming that the number of Ebola cases has surpassed 8,000 for the first time since the current outbreak began. According to the latest data, there are 8,067 confirmed cases and 3,901 deaths across 63 affected health zones in seven of the DRC’s 26 provinces.

This mortality toll translates to a case fatality rate of more than 48 per cent, underscoring the severity of the epidemic in the country’s northeast.

Dr Janet Diaz, a senior official in the WHO’s Health Emergencies Programme, addressed reporters to detail the operational hurdles facing the response team. She noted that while there are signs of reduced transmission in certain areas, the overall number of cases remains high.

Dr Diaz, who recently returned from her second visit to the DRC since the outbreak caused by the Bundibugyo virus was declared in May, specifically visited treatment centres in Bunia, the capital of Ituri province and the current epicentre of the epidemic.

The primary barrier to survival, according to the WHO, is the delay in seeking care. Dr Diaz stated that delays, combined with logistical challenges in access and referral systems, continue to complicate the response. She emphasized that for Ebola disease, early access to care improves the chances of survival, yet many individuals are unable to reach health facilities in time.

In response, the WHO and its partners have focused on improving the early recognition of illness, establishing rapid referral systems, and providing early supportive care to mitigate these delays.

To address the surge in patients, the Ebola treatment capacity has been expanded. Dr Diaz reported that the number of available beds has grown from a handful at the start of the outbreak to more than 1,600 beds across 50 treatment centres within the seven affected provinces. Plans are currently in place to further expand this capacity to over 2,000 beds.

However, the WHO official stressed that infrastructure alone is insufficient; every patient bed requires a skilled workforce to provide safe, quality care around the clock. To support this, the WHO and partners have trained nearly 400 health workers, including the launch of a dedicated training hub in Bunia.

A critical component of supportive care for patients with severe Ebola illness is oxygen therapy. Dr Diaz warned that this life-saving medicine remains unavailable or unreliable in many health facilities, particularly in emergency settings. She argued that ensuring access to oxygen is about much more than simply providing cylinders or equipment. It requires functioning health systems, reliable infrastructure, trained health workers, and sustainable delivery systems that can reach patients wherever they are located.

She concluded that without previous oxygen scale-up efforts in responses to Ebola and Marburg virus disease, the current positive outcomes for patients would not have been possible.

Regarding preventive measures, the WHO noted that there is currently no approved vaccine specifically for the Ebola Bundibugyo virus. However, vaccine trials are underway to address this gap. Last week, the WHO announced that 20,000 doses of the Ervebo vaccine, which has been effective against the Ebola Zaire virus in previous outbreaks, have been allocated for a research vaccination programme in Ituri province.

This initiative aims to gather data on the vaccine's efficacy against the Bundibugyo strain while providing a potential tool for future containment efforts.

The situation in the DRC represents a significant public health challenge for the region, with the outbreak affecting a substantial portion of the country’s provinces. The combination of high case numbers, a fatality rate exceeding 48 per cent, and logistical barriers to care highlights the complexity of managing such a large-scale epidemic. The WHO’s focus on expanding treatment capacity, training health workers, and securing oxygen supplies reflects a multi-faceted approach to reducing mortality.

As the outbreak continues, the reliance on early intervention and health system infrastructure remains central to the strategy for saving lives in the affected areas.

Related: Dr Janet Diaz