The World Health Organization says Congo’s Ebola outbreak can still be contained within three months if response teams receive enough resources. The latest official report recorded 5,021 confirmed cases and 2,378 deaths through Aug. 16. Cases now span 55 health zones across six provinces, while the case fatality ratio has reached 47.4%. The toll makes this the deadliest Ebola outbreak in the country’s history. It is also the second-largest Ebola epidemic recorded globally. WHO incident manager Thierno Baldé said the three-month timeline depends on securing the resources required for the response. The agency has received about $69.3 million of the $115 million it says it needs, or roughly 60%. Teams added more than 400 treatment beds during the past two weeks. They also deployed 100 additional epidemiologists and more than 500 community health workers for surveillance and contact tracing. The response requires vehicles, ambulances, medical supplies and personnel across a growing affected area. Transmission has reached Bas-Uélé, making it the sixth affected province. As of Aug. 12, Ituri accounted for 85% of confirmed cases and 79% of reported deaths nationwide. Officials said 70% to 80% of new cases had no known link to existing patients. Health teams are expanding surveillance to identify cases faster and transfer patients into treatment centers. Bas-Uélé’s first confirmed case had traveled from Haut-Uélé before symptoms began on Aug. 4.

The Democratic Republic of the Congo recorded 26,064,143 malaria cases in 2025. The country also reported 29,938 deaths linked to the disease during the year. Guy Esebe Dembo, deputy director of the National Malaria Control Programme, announced the figures during a campaign launch in Ituri province. Dembo said malaria remains the country’s main public health challenge. The new totals confirm a heavy disease burden across one of Africa’s most malaria-affected countries.

DR Congo’s Ebola outbreak has killed 1,916 people and produced 4,209 confirmed cases, according to official data through Aug. 7. Ituri remains the center of the epidemic, with 3,636 confirmed cases and 1,551 deaths. North Kivu has recorded 470 cases and 315 deaths. Haut Uele has reported 91 cases and 44 deaths, while Tshopo has nine cases and five deaths. South Kivu has recorded three cases and one death. The latest daily increase added 89 confirmed cases and 21 deaths to the national totals.

The statistical findings also show that high BMI resulted in over 150,000 lost years of life across all demographic groups in a single year. The comprehensive epidemiological investigation examined underlying causes of death to determine how elevated body mass index contributes to chronic health conditions. Research findings identified cardiovascular complications as the primary contributor to mortality, with coronary heart diseases accounting for 2,009 deaths. Neurodegenerative disorders represented the second largest category, as Alzheimer disease and other forms of dementia were linked to 1,652 deaths. Additionally, cerebrovascular diseases were cited in 1,171 deaths, alongside significant contributions from chronic kidney disease and various digestive cancers.

The study will operate at three Canadian sites and enroll about 80 healthy adults. Researchers will assess the vaccine’s safety, tolerability and ability to produce an immune response. The trial will not determine whether the vaccine prevents infection because Phase 1 studies focus on early safety data. The Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations has committed up to $50 million for preclinical work, the trial and production of additional research doses.

Michigan health officials have confirmed two deaths connected to the state’s 2026 cyclosporiasis outbreak. The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services reported 11,234 cases as of Aug. 3. The state also recorded 193 hospitalizations through July 30. Both patients had serious underlying medical conditions. Officials said cyclosporiasis and dehydration may have affected those conditions, but they released no additional personal information.