Ebola Outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo Ends

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) joins the global public health community in marking the end of the Ebola Virus Disease (Ebola) outbreak in Equateur Province. Today marks 42 days, or two incubation periods, since the last survivor tested negative for the virus. This allows the DRC Ministry of Health (MOH) and the World Health Organization to officially announce the outbreak over.

“This is a tremendous accomplishment, particularly in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic,” said CDC Director Robert R. Redfield, M.D. “CDC congratulates the DRC Ministry of Health and partners who have worked tirelessly to overcome challenges and bring this Ebola outbreak to an end.”

Reaching this milestone is a great achievement. However, efforts to quickly detect new cases of Ebola must continue for at least six months as cases due to sexual transmission or relapse are always possible following an outbreak.

CDC remains committed to supporting the DRC MOH in strengthening key public health capacities to detect and respond to future cases, related to this outbreak or a new introduction of the virus.

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U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

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