On 4 September 2025, the Democratic Republic of Congo’s health ministry reported a new Ebola outbreak in central Kasai province: at least 15 people have died, including a 34-year-old pregnant woman who was admitted with fever and repeated vomiting and died of multiple organ failure; 28 suspected cases have been recorded.
Key takeaways
- At least 15 fatalities confirmed so far in central Kasai province.
- The first confirmed case was a 34-year-old pregnant woman who died shortly after hospital admission.
- Tests identified the Zaire strain of Ebola; four of the deceased were health workers.
- Health ministry reports 28 suspected cases; response teams are conducting contact tracing.
- WHO says it has stockpiles, including 2,000 doses of the Ervebo vaccine, for this strain.
- This marks the DRC’s 16th recorded Ebola outbreak; previous major outbreak (2018–20) caused over 2,000 deaths.
Verified facts
The DRC health ministry confirmed the presence of Ebola in a 34-year-old pregnant woman admitted in late August with high fever and repeated vomiting; she suffered rapid clinical deterioration and died from multiple organ failure within hours. Laboratory testing detected the Zaire species of the Ebola virus, which is known for high case fatality rates.
Authorities report at least 15 deaths linked to the cluster; four of those who died were health workers involved in local care. The ministry has logged 28 suspected cases in central Kasai province and has deployed investigation and response teams to identify and isolate contacts.
The World Health Organization (WHO) said it is acting to stop transmission and protect communities, noting available countermeasures. WHO and partners report an existing stockpile of treatments and about 2,000 doses of the Ervebo vaccine suitable for Zaire-strain exposures.
DR Congo has recorded multiple Ebola events since the virus was first identified near the Ebola River in 1976. The country experienced a much larger outbreak in 2018–2020 that claimed more than 2,000 lives; the most recent prior outbreak, three years ago, resulted in six deaths.
Context & impact
Kasai sits outside the long-troubled eastern provinces, but the DRC’s overall health system remains fragile. Limited infrastructure, uneven access to care and pockets of insecurity can slow rapid detection, isolation and vaccination campaigns.
Health-worker infections raise concern about nosocomial spread and underscore the need for strict infection prevention and control in health facilities. Local teams are prioritizing protective equipment, safe patient transfers and rapid vaccination of high-risk contacts.
Containment efforts focus on rapid case finding, contact tracing, community engagement and ring vaccination where appropriate. If transmission is not interrupted, case counts may rise, especially in remote areas where surveillance is weaker.
Official statements
“Acting with determination to rapidly halt the spread of the virus and protect communities,” WHO and local health authorities are mobilizing response teams and supplies.
World Health Organization / DRC Ministry of Health
Unconfirmed
- Whether the pregnant woman was the index case for this cluster or one of multiple simultaneous introductions remains under investigation.
- The full extent of community transmission in remote parts of Kasai is not yet established.
Bottom line
Authorities and WHO are prioritizing rapid detection, contact tracing and targeted vaccination to contain this Zaire-strain outbreak. Timely community cooperation and sufficient protective equipment for health workers will be critical to prevent wider spread.