Ebola Outbreak in Congo and Uganda Becomes Worst on Record with 894 Cases and 200+ Deaths

The Ebola outbreak in Congo and Uganda has become the worst known outbreak at its current stage, with over 200 deaths and 894 confirmed cases as of mid-June 2026, according to Africa's Centres for Disease Control and Prevention. The outbreak, caused by the rare Bundibugyo virus, has increased 38% in cases over a single week and now affects 32 health zones across eastern Congo, primarily in the Ituri province, which accounts for more than 90% of cases. Cases have also been reported in North Kivu and South Kivu provinces, and have spread across the border to Uganda, where 19 confirmed cases and two deaths have been recorded. The current outbreak is already three times worse than a previous outbreak in Uganda in 2000, which had 281 cases at the same stage.

The Bundibugyo virus is rare and has no approved vaccines or treatments, complicating response efforts. Experimental treatments using monoclonal antibodies are being developed, and 74 patients have recovered so far. The outbreak was confirmed on May 15, but is believed to have begun weeks earlier, suggesting actual case numbers are likely higher than currently reported. Dr. Wessam Mankoula, a medical epidemiologist at Africa CDC, noted that contact tracing has identified approximately 4,000 contacts out of an estimated 17,000 to 35,000 potential contacts linked to confirmed cases—less than 15% of the total.

Response efforts face significant obstacles. The Ituri province is remote and experiences ongoing insecurity, with nearly a million people displaced by years of conflict. The difficult terrain, dense forests, poor roads, and remote villages that take days to reach complicate outbreak control measures. Additionally, thousands of miners regularly move among remote sites in the mineral-rich region, further hindering contact tracing efforts. Dr. Mankoula stated, "We are still far from controlling the situation of this outbreak."

Resource constraints are hampering the response. Over $900 million has been pledged to fight the outbreak, but only $90 million has been released. Africa CDC estimates it needs 540 personnel to combat the outbreak but currently has only 84 staff deployed. Dr. Mankoula called for pledges to be fast-tracked and converted into actual disbursements to affected countries and partners to address the growing crisis.