DR Congo Ebola Outbreak Surpasses 8,000 Cases, Deadliest in Country History

Confirmed Ebola cases in the Democratic Republic of the Congo have exceeded 8,000, marking the largest and deadliest outbreak in the country's history. As of September 26, 2026, authorities reported 8,067 confirmed cases and 3,901 deaths, with a case fatality rate of 48.4 percent. The outbreak, caused by the Bundibugyo strain, was declared on May 15, 2026, and represents the country's 17th documented Ebola epidemic. It is the second-largest Ebola outbreak globally, after the 2014–2016 West Africa epidemic, which recorded over 28,600 cases and more than 11,000 deaths.

The outbreak has spread across 63 health zones in seven of the country's 26 provinces, with geographic expansion continuing. Ituri Province remains the epicenter with over 6,000 confirmed cases, but transmission patterns vary significantly across regions. North Kivu Province saw substantial rises reaching mid-September highs, while sustained transmission continues in Haut-Uele Province and renewed activity has emerged in Tshopo Province. The World Health Organization warned of newly affected areas in Sud-Ubangi and Haut-Uele near the border with South Sudan, increasing the risk of cross-border transmission. About 2,070 patients have recovered from the disease.

The World Health Organization emphasized that the outbreak remains large, geographically expanding, and marked by sustained transmission. The high case fatality rate and elevated number of deaths in communities highlight persistent challenges in timely case detection and access to early patient care. The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs reported that routine primary healthcare services in Ituri Province alone fell 13 percent between April and June as resources were redirected to Ebola response.

Multiple factors have impeded containment efforts. The Bundibugyo strain has no known treatment or vaccine. Armed conflict, insecurity, population displacement, and health worker strikes have restricted access to affected areas and disrupted contact tracing. According to the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 50 health workers have died since the outbreak was announced, and the Congo faces severe shortages of personnel to manage the crisis. The UN reported that health workers have experienced delayed or missing wage payments, prompting strikes that further weakened response capacity. Local skepticism about the disease, with some dismissing it as a hoax, has led to attacks on health workers and health facilities.

Despite these challenges, some regions have shown improvement. Incidence in Ituri Province declined gradually from a mid-August peak, and case numbers decreased in certain areas over recent weeks. However, the outbreak continues to spread geographically. According to the Africa CDC, by week 19 of the current outbreak, 7,840 cases had been recorded compared to 3,781 cases during the same timeframe in the 2014–2016 West Africa epidemic, indicating faster spread. The WHO said the current outbreak is on track to surpass the West Africa epidemic in total case count. The WHO currently does not recommend restrictions on travel or trade with affected countries.