A surge in Ebola deaths in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has caused concern about a potential pandemic. The World Health Organization (WHO) reports 48 confirmed cases and 31 deaths, a 63% increase in fatalities over the past week. Vaccination efforts are underway, with 400 doses of the Ervebo vaccine already administered in the Kasai province. While the risk to the US is currently considered low, the outbreak marks the 16th in the DRC and highlights the ongoing threat of the virus.

Prepared by Olivia Bennett and reviewed by editorial team.