The World Health Organization (WHO) has announced the first confirmed recovery from the ongoing Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), offering a glimmer of hope amid the deadly health crisis.

Speaking on Friday, WHO technical officer on viral haemorrhagic fevers, Anais Legand, revealed that the recovered patient was discharged from a treatment centre on May 27 after testing negative for the virus twice.

“The DRC has said that on May 27, a patient recovered and left the hospital and has been discharged into the community,” Legand told reporters.

She described the development as the first confirmed recovery among laboratory-tested Ebola patients since the outbreak was declared on May 15. However, she noted that there may have been other recoveries among suspected cases yet to receive confirmed test results.

“This is the first one to be discharged from a care centre following two negative tests,” she said.

According to WHO figures, the outbreak has so far resulted in 17 confirmed deaths and 223 suspected Ebola-related deaths in the DRC. Authorities have also recorded 125 confirmed cases and more than 900 suspected infections.

Health officials disclosed that the outbreak is being driven by the Bundibugyo strain of Ebola — a rare variant for which no approved vaccine or specific treatment currently exists.

The strain is known to have a fatality rate of up to 50 percent, although WHO officials say the current outbreak appears to have a lower mortality rate, presently estimated at below 25 percent.

Legand emphasized that rapid medical intervention remains critical in improving survival chances for infected patients.

“Early access to care can greatly improve survival rates. We are expecting more people to recover,” she said.

The WHO and Congolese health authorities continue to intensify surveillance, treatment, and containment efforts as fears remain high over the spread of the disease across affected communities.