The World Health Organization announced on Friday the first confirmed recovery of a patient with laboratory-verified Ebola in the ongoing outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo, offering a cautious sign of progress in a rapidly evolving public health crisis.
“The DRC has said that on May 27, a patient recovered and left the hospital and has been discharged into the community,” WHO technical officer on viral haemorrhagic fevers Anais Legand told reporters at a briefing in Geneva.
Legand described the development as the first documented discharge of a confirmed case following two negative tests. She noted it marked “the first” among patients who had been laboratory-confirmed to have Ebola, while stressing expectations of additional recoveries among unconfirmed suspected cases.
“This is the first one” to be discharged from a care centre “following two negative tests,” she added.
The recovery comes as the outbreak, caused by the Bundibugyo strain of Ebola virus for which no approved vaccine or specific treatment exists, continues to challenge responders in conflict-affected eastern DRC. The strain has a historical case fatality rate of up to 50 percent, though current data for known cases in this outbreak shows a lower rate that remains under review.
As of the latest figures cited by the WHO, DRC has recorded 125 confirmed cases and 17 confirmed deaths, alongside 906 suspected cases and 223 suspected deaths since the outbreak was declared on May 15. The virus has spread across Ituri, North Kivu, and South Kivu provinces.
Legand emphasized the importance of early medical intervention. “We are expecting more people to recover,” she said, adding that “early access to care can greatly improve survival rates” and that optimized supportive care could further reduce fatalities.
The outbreak has been declared a Public Health Emergency of International Concern by WHO. It has also spilled into Uganda, where authorities have reported nine confirmed cases, including one death, with several linked to travel from DRC and no evidence of broader community transmission at this stage.
Sixteen of the confirmed cases in DRC have been among healthcare workers, underscoring the risks faced by those on the front lines. Legand described Ebola as “a terrible disease,” noting transmission often occurs through close contact while caring for the sick or handling bodies.
Response efforts are complicated by ongoing conflict, population displacement, and insecurity in the epicenter around Ituri province. WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus has visited the region to bolster containment measures, warning of a “catastrophic collision” between disease and war.
No international travel or trade restrictions have been recommended by WHO, though exit screening is in place and symptomatic individuals or contacts are advised against travel. Strong surveillance, infection prevention, safe burials, and community engagement remain central to controlling transmission.
