Health authorities in the Democratic Republic of Congo have declared the end of the Kasai Province Ebola outbreak after two incubation cycles passed with no new confirmed cases, a development confirmed by WHO and regional partners. The declaration follows an intense response that included vaccination, contact tracing and strengthened surveillance.
The outbreak, which was detected in early September, resulted in dozens of cases and prompted emergency mobilization of national and international resources; rapid vaccination campaigns reached tens of thousands of people in affected zones and helped interrupt chains of transmission. Officials credited improved surveillance systems and community engagement for the successful containment.
Relief agencies urged vigilance, noting that an official declaration of the end of an outbreak transitions the response into a period of heightened surveillance and recovery, with ongoing support for survivors, health worker protection, and restoration of routine health services. The IFRC and local Red Cross chapters have called for sustained investment in community-based surveillance to maintain early detection capacity.
WHO highlighted lessons from the response including the value of quick vaccination deployment, laboratory capacity, and local leadership as features that should be replicated across the region. Health ministries are now turning attention to strengthening health system resilience to detect and respond to future threats earlier.
Donors and partners pledged continued support for post-outbreak recovery and to expand vaccination and surveillance capacity in remote provinces, warning that investment now will reduce the human and economic costs of future outbreaks.