Africa CDC Ebola Outbreak Still Not Under Control After 6 Months

Kaseya said more than 80 percent of new cases emerge outside contact lists, the records used to trace people exposed to the virus. Over 65 percent of deaths have occurred in the community, outside health centers.

"We are all in agreement today to say that this outbreak is still serious, and is still not under control," he said.

Eight of the DRC's 26 provinces are affected. Delayed detection, conflict and strained health services have helped the virus spread faster than in earlier outbreaks.

Funding gap

Kaseya called coordination between the DRC and donors "a collective failure". Only $1.3bn of the $2.9bn pledged by donors has been released, he said.

"We are not pointing fingers," he said. Africa CDC is working with Kinshasa to avoid wasting money through duplication, he added. The DRC is also digitizing payroll for health workers who "hadn't been paid for months".

No targeted vaccine

The outbreak is caused by the rare Bundibugyo strain of the Ebola virus, which can trigger hemorrhagic fever and kills about half of those it infects. No vaccine or treatment has been developed specifically for this strain.

It is the second-largest and second-deadliest Ebola outbreak on record, behind only the 2014-2016 West African epidemic. That epidemic infected more than 28,600 people and killed more than 11,000.

Earlier this month, the World Health Organization (WHO) approved clinical trials of two new Ebola vaccines. It expects results in early 2027.

WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus wrote on X that transmission is slowing in several early epicenters. He said clinical trials, including the Tumaini trial and new vaccine candidates, are advancing rapidly. The WHO also said at least 3,000 people have recovered from the disease in the DRC and returned home.