Last Ebola patient discharged from DRC treatment centre: WHO

The last Ebola patient was discharged on Sunday from a treatment centre in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the World Health Organization (WHO) said.

In a video posted on social media, health workers were seen celebrating as the final patient exited the treatment centre.

In a statement, the WHO said this is a significant milestone in the efforts to end the outbreak.

The country has now begun a 42-day countdown to declare the outbreak over if no new cases are confirmed.

'Remarkable achievement'

“The recovery of the last patient just six weeks after the outbreak was declared is a remarkable achievement that shows how strong partnership, national expertise, and determination have contributed to overcoming challenges to save and protect lives,” WHO Regional Director for Africa Mohamed Janabi said.

The WHO said 19 patients have recovered from the disease, with no new cases reported since September 25.

Since the outbreak, 64 cases have been reported: 53 confirmed and 11 probable.

The latest Ebola outbreak was declared by Congolese authorities on September 4 in the Bulape health zone of Kasai province, which borders Angola.

Outbreak response

According to DR Congo's health authorities, the outbreak occurred in a remote rural area.

Despite the challenges of distance and limited infrastructure, the Health Ministry, with assistance from WHO and partners, quickly increased outbreak response measures.

The WHO reported that more than 35,000 people in Bulape had received Ebola vaccinations.

If no new cases are detected, the outbreak will be declared over by early December 2025.

Severe and often fatal

Ebola virus disease is a severe and often fatal illness in humans. The virus is transmitted to humans through close contact with the blood or secretions of infected wildlife and then spreads through human-to-human transmission.