Congo Ebola outbreak death toll surpasses 5,000

The death toll from the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo has surpassed 5,000, with over 10,000 confirmed cases across eight provinces. Driven by the rare Bundibugyo species for which no approved vaccines or treatments exist, the epidemic is now the second-largest in global history. Armed conflict in the epicentre of Ituri province, alongside violent attacks on health workers, continues to hinder containment efforts as cases extend into Kenya, Uganda, and Nigeria.

Scale of the outbreak in DRC

• ▪The 2026 Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo has affected 8 of the country's 26 provinces since it began in May 2026, registering a case fatality rate of 48.6%
• ▪The 2026 Democratic Republic of Congo Ebola outbreak, the country's 17th, is second in scale only to the 2014-2016 West Africa epidemic, which infected over 28,600 people and killed more than 11,000 across Guinea, Liberia, and Sierra Leone
• ▪Government data released in late October 2026 shows that the death toll from the Democratic Republic of Congo's Ebola outbreak has surpassed 5,000 people, with total confirmed cases exceeding 10,000

Obstacles to containment efforts in DRC

• ▪The epicentre of the 2026 Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo that began in May remains in Ituri province, where ongoing armed conflict hampers containment efforts
• ▪Healthcare responders and aid volunteers faced violent attacks in DR Congo, including the death of a politician beaten after promoting anti-Ebola measures and 11 Red Cross incidents in the first 100 days of the Ebola outbreak

Spread to neighbouring African countries

• ▪Uganda has reported no new Ebola cases since August 2026, though travel restrictions remain in place for individuals crossing from the neighbouring Democratic Republic of Congo
• ▪Ebola cases from the 2026 outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo have been confirmed in Kenya, Uganda, and Nigeria, including nine confirmed cases and two deaths in Kenya and one confirmed case in Nigeria

Virus characteristics, symptoms, and treatment

• ▪The ongoing 2026 Democratic Republic of Congo Ebola outbreak is caused by the rare Bundibugyo virus species, which spreads between humans through contact with infected bodily fluids such as blood or vomit
• ▪Ebola causes sudden symptoms including vomiting, diarrhoea, organ failure, and in some patients internal and external bleeding
• ▪There are no approved vaccines or specific treatments available for the Bundibugyo Ebola strain causing the 2026 outbreak, though clinical trials and testing are under way