Edino Chubiyo Cornelius 
ABUJA, Nigeria – The World Health Organization has confirmed the first officially recorded survivor in the ongoing Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo, marking a significant milestone in efforts to contain the deadly virus.
WHO official Anais Legand announced on Friday that the patient was discharged from an Ebola treatment centre on May 27 after testing negative for the virus twice.
According to Legand, the recovered patient has safely returned to the community, offering renewed hope to health authorities battling the outbreak.
“This marks the first laboratory-confirmed recovery recorded during the current outbreak response,” she said.
The outbreak, declared on May 15, continues to spread across affected parts of the Democratic Republic of Congo, with health officials warning that the situation remains critical despite the recovery.
WHO data shows that 17 confirmed deaths and 223 suspected Ebola-related fatalities have been reported so far.
Authorities have also recorded 125 confirmed infections and more than 900 suspected cases linked to the outbreak.
The current outbreak is caused by the Bundibugyo strain of Ebola, a rare variant for which there is currently no approved vaccine or specific treatment.
Health experts say the strain can kill up to half of infected patients, although the fatality rate in the current outbreak is estimated to remain below 25 per cent.
Legand explains that early diagnosis and prompt medical intervention significantly improve survival chances, adding that additional recoveries may emerge as treatment efforts intensify.
She also notes that health authorities suspect some infected individuals may have recovered before receiving official laboratory confirmation.
The WHO continues to coordinate emergency response efforts alongside Congolese health authorities to strengthen surveillance, contact tracing, isolation and public awareness campaigns aimed at limiting further transmission.
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Otamere Gladness 
Korede Abdullah 
