Overview
- Health authorities report about 1,700–1,800 confirmed infections and roughly 600–625 confirmed deaths concentrated in Ituri province, with cases now in multiple DRC provinces and about 20 confirmed in Uganda.
- WHO says roughly 80% of new cases in the Bunia epicentre have no known links, and modelling and test‑positivity rates suggest the true caseload may be two to four times higher than confirmed figures.
- Clinical trials of two experimental treatments, the monoclonal antibody MBP134 and the antiviral remdesivir, began on July 2 to test therapies for the rare Bundibugyo strain for which no licensed vaccine or strain‑specific drug exists.
- Response capacity is strained by insecurity, displaced populations, community mistrust and limited surveillance, and the UN has released up to $60 million from its emergency fund while agencies warn hundreds of millions more will be needed to contain the outbreak.
- The outbreak is already worsening basic services and could multiply deaths and economic losses if containment is delayed, making rapid testing, contact tracing, isolation and community trust the crucial next steps.