Ebola spreads to eighth province in Democratic Republic of Congo

The Bundibugyo Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo has reached North Ubangi, its eighth province, following confirmed cases in a mining zone near Bas-Uele. Announced in mid-May 2026, the epidemic has grown into the second-largest on record, exceeding 9,000 cases and 4,000 deaths while heavily impacting young children. Centered in Ituri province, the virus has expanded across eastern provinces and triggered cross-border cases in Uganda and Kenya.

New cases in North Ubangi province

• ▪Two cases of Ebola have been confirmed in North Ubangi province, Democratic Republic of Congo, making it the eighth province affected by the Bundibugyo Ebola outbreak
• ▪A series of suspect deaths linked to the Bundibugyo Ebola outbreak in a mining area in the Wapinda health zone, near the Bas-Uele border, prompted laboratory analysis in provincial laboratories and Kinshasa, according to a North Ubangi health official

Affected provinces in the DRC

• ▪Ituri province remains the epicenter of the Bundibugyo Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo, while cases have recently increased in North Kivu province
• ▪Ebola cases in the Democratic Republic of Congo have been confirmed across South Kivu, Tshopo, Haut-Uele, Bas-Uele, and South Ubangi provinces

Scale of the DRC outbreak

• ▪The Bundibugyo Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo has recorded more than 9,000 confirmed cases and caused more than 4,000 confirmed deaths, according to health officials
• ▪The Bundibugyo Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo, announced in mid-May 2026, has become the second-largest Ebola outbreak on record

Spread to neighboring countries

• ▪Kenya announced its first Ebola infection earlier in October 2026 and confirmed a second case—a close family member of the first patient—on October 14, 2026
• ▪The Bundibugyo Ebola outbreak originating in the Democratic Republic of Congo resulted in cases in neighboring Uganda, which had been declared Ebola-free in August 2026