Congolese health officials reported Tuesday that the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo has reached its peak, with infection rates slowing across much of the affected region.

Health Minister Samuel Roger Kamba stated that the number of new cases has declined from roughly 120 per day at the height of the epidemic in mid-August to approximately 80 per day now. Daily deaths have also fallen from around 50 to nearly 30, according to government figures.

As of September 14, the outbreak has resulted in more than 7,200 confirmed cases and over 3,475 deaths across seven provinces. The case fatality rate stands near 48 percent. Officials noted that 10 of 62 health zones have reported no new cases for more than 22 days, allowing six zones to be removed from the active list after 42 days without incidents.

The 17th Ebola outbreak in the DRC, caused by the Bundibugyo variant, began in Ituri province in May and has since spread to North Kivu, South Kivu, Haut-Uele, Bas-Uele, Tshopo, and Sud-Ubangi. Ituri remains the epicenter, though transmission has slowed there while continuing at a concerning pace in North Kivu.

Kamba emphasized that the outbreak remains under control due to response efforts on the ground. "We are fighting a very dangerous virus that is killing many of our people. Today, we can say that the outbreak is under control," he said.

United Nations and World Health Organization officials urged caution, stating it is too early to confirm the epidemic has definitively peaked. They noted uneven progress and ongoing growth in some areas, describing the situation as still a massive and deadly epidemic that will require months of sustained effort.

Government data indicate 1,726 recoveries and 905 patients currently hospitalized or in isolation. Officials expressed hope that the epidemic could be brought behind the country by the end of the year with continued adherence to preventive measures.