There was a sigh of relief in the Democratic Republic of Congo, as the country’s last known Ebola patient was discharged from treatment on Sunday, October 19, 2025.
This hopeful moment kicks off a tense 42-day countdown—two full incubation periods for the virus. If no new cases are confirmed in that time, the nation can officially declare the deadly outbreak over.
The recovery is a massive milestone in a tough, swift fight, World Health Organization said in a statement, adding, the outbreak, which began on September 4th in the Bulape health zone of Kasai Province, was never going to be an easy one.
The virus surfaced in a rural, hard-to-reach locality, forcing health responders to battle not just the disease, but also vast distances, punishingly poor roads, and limited infrastructure.
Despite those immense challenges, the Ministry of Health, with powerful backing from the World Health Organization (WHO) and its partners, acted immediately, it said.
They scrambled multidisciplinary teams to the area to bolster every line of defense—from disease surveillance and community engagement to infection control and clinical care.
WHO said a 32-bed Ebola treatment center was set up, in a center fitted with a special two-bed intensive care unit, the first time such advanced equipment has ever been deployed in a real-world regional outbreak, not just a training exercise.
In a critical preventive move, more than 35,000 people in and around Bulape were vaccinated against Ebola, building a vital wall of immunity.
As a result, of the 64 total cases (53 confirmed and 11 probable), 19 patients have recovered and gone home, adding that no new cases have been reported since September 25th.
“The recovery of the last patient just six weeks after the outbreak was declared is a remarkable achievement,” said Dr. Mohamed Janabi, WHO Regional Director for Africa.
He stressed that this victory shows how “strong partnership, national expertise and determination have contributed to overcoming challenges to save and protect lives.”
But the work isn’t done, he said. “WHO and its partners are not packing their bags yet. They remain on the ground, working side-by-side with the government, their eyes fixed on the calendar. For the next 42 days, they will maintain all response measures, ready to pounce on any new spark.”
If the silence holds, and no new cases are detected, the outbreak will be officially declared over in early December 2025.
