KINSHASA, DR Congo — The World Health Organization (WHO) has significantly revised its Ebola outbreak figures in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), reducing the number of suspected cases from more than 900 to 116 after laboratory investigations ruled out hundreds of infections initially flagged through surveillance systems.
In its latest update released on Tuesday, the UN health agency reported 116 suspected cases of Ebola in the DRC as of May 31, a sharp decline from the 906 suspected cases reported late last week.
At the same time, the number of laboratory-confirmed cases has risen to 321, including 48 deaths. In neighbouring Uganda, health authorities have confirmed nine Ebola infections, including one fatality.
The dramatic reduction does not indicate that hundreds of patients have recovered from Ebola. Rather, WHO said many of the initially suspected cases were removed from the outbreak database after testing confirmed they were suffering from other illnesses with symptoms similar to Ebola.
WHO spokesperson Christian Lindmeier explained that health surveillance systems classify anyone presenting symptoms consistent with Ebola as a suspected case until laboratory tests determine the cause of illness.
“Anybody who gets picked up by surveillance or presents themselves in a health facility with any symptoms that could be Ebola-like is counted as a suspected case,” Lindmeier said.
However, once laboratory testing is completed, patients diagnosed with other conditions are removed from the Ebola tally.
According to WHO, many individuals initially suspected of having Ebola were later found to be suffering from diseases such as malaria, meningitis, typhoid, or other infections that share similar early symptoms.
As a result, hundreds of cases were ruled out, leading to a substantial downward revision of the suspected case count.
While the number of suspected cases has fallen sharply, confirmed infections continue to increase as more laboratory results become available.
Health experts note that such fluctuations are common during outbreak investigations, particularly in the early stages when surveillance systems cast a wide net to identify potential infections.
Lindmeier said the number of confirmed cases is expected to continue changing as testing progresses, while the suspected case figure may rise or fall depending on new reports and laboratory outcomes.
WHO has also removed a previously reported category that listed 223 deaths suspected to be linked to Ebola.
The agency said the figure was highly uncertain because it included individuals who died before investigations began and whose remains could not always be tested to establish the cause of death.
The current outbreak was officially declared on May 15 in Ituri Province in northeastern DRC, although health officials believe the virus had likely been spreading undetected for several weeks beforehand.
The outbreak is being driven by the Bundibugyo strain of Ebola, a relatively rare variant first identified in western Uganda in 2007.
Public health experts say the strain poses unique challenges because its early symptoms closely resemble common tropical illnesses such as malaria, making rapid detection more difficult.
Initial symptoms typically include fever, headache, fatigue, muscle pain, and general weakness before progressing to more severe complications.
The delayed identification of cases is believed to have contributed to wider transmission before the outbreak was formally recognised.
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Unlike the Zaire strain of Ebola, for which vaccines and targeted treatments exist, there is currently no licensed vaccine or approved treatment specifically for the Bundibugyo strain.
As a result, containment efforts rely heavily on early detection, isolation of infected individuals, contact tracing, community awareness campaigns, and strict infection prevention measures.
WHO reported that six patients who contracted Ebola during the current outbreak have recovered and been discharged.
Health authorities in both the DRC and Uganda continue to intensify surveillance, screening, and contact tracing efforts as they seek to prevent further cross-border transmission.
The outbreak has heightened concern across East and Central Africa, prompting neighbouring countries, including Kenya, to strengthen border screening, emergency preparedness systems, and public health surveillance measures.
