DRC : Ebola recedes in Bunia and Goma with several recoveries, neighboring countries on alert

SOS Médias Burundi

Bunia/Goma, June 4, 2026 – The fight against the new Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) is showing encouraging progress with several recoveries announced in the east of the country, particularly in Bunia, in Ituri province, and in Goma, the capital of North Kivu.

In Bunia, four new Ebola patients were declared recovered this Sunday, May 31. They were being treated at the Evangelical Medical Center (CME), one of the main facilities involved in the response to the epidemic.

The survivors were officially presented to provincial authorities and the press at a ceremony held on the grounds of the health facility. This announcement brings the total number of people who have recovered since the start of the outbreak in this area to five.

According to medical officials, all the recovered patients are members of the healthcare staff at the Bunia Medical Center (CME), including a nurse. They are believed to have contracted the virus while on duty, further illustrating the high level of exposure of healthcare workers in the affected areas.

The center’s medical director, Dr. Calvin Ambitapio, indicated that the patients received intensive symptomatic treatment and regular monitoring, with repeated testing. The latest laboratory results came back negative, confirming their recovery.

In Goma, in North Kivu province, the only Ebola case recorded in the city was also declared recovered and discharged from the hospital on Wednesday, according to provincial health authorities.

The patient had been admitted to a specialized facility dedicated to the Ebola response. After several days of treatment and medical monitoring, tests confirmed the absence of the virus, allowing for his discharge from the healthcare facility.

Health authorities in Goma welcomed this development, which they consider a positive sign in the fight against the current Ebola outbreak in eastern DRC. They nevertheless called for continued vigilance, as the chain of transmission has not yet been completely broken.

These recoveries come amid heightened surveillance in several eastern provinces. Health teams, supported by international partners, are continuing contact tracing, community monitoring, and awareness campaigns in at-risk areas.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), the epidemiological situation remains concerning in the DRC. The UN agency reports 344 confirmed cases, including 60 deaths, spread across 24 health zones in the provinces of Ituri, North Kivu, and South Kivu.

The WHO also specifies that the number of suspected cases has decreased from over 1,000 to 116, thanks to ongoing verification, while emphasizing that the outbreak remains under close surveillance.

The organization notes that several patients have already survived the disease in the DRC and Uganda, confirming that recovery is possible when treatment is prompt and appropriate.

In this context, neighboring countries, including Burundi, Rwanda, Uganda, and South Sudan, remain on alert regarding the risk of cross-border spread of the disease, while health authorities are strengthening border surveillance.

Despite the still fragile situation, the recoveries recorded in Bunia and Goma are seen as a sign of hope in the response to the resurgence of Ebola in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo.