Congo's Ebola outbreak spreads to sixth province with over 2,100 deaths in fastest-growing epidemic on record

The Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo has spread to a sixth province, Bas-Uele, with the death toll rising to 2,128 out of 4,566 cases. Caused by the rare Bundibugyo strain, which lacks approved vaccines or treatments, this is the fastest-growing Ebola epidemic on record. The World Health Organization warns it could become the deadliest in history as containment efforts face challenges from conflict, unpaid healthcare worker strikes, and a breakdown in contact tracing.

Geographic spread to provinces

• ▪The Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo has spread to a sixth province, Bas-Uele, after a death was recorded in the capital city of Buta.
• ▪Jean-Jacques Muyembe of Congo's National Institute for Biomedical Research stated that Bas-Uele will not be officially added to the list of affected provinces until local transmission is confirmed.
• ▪Prior to the spread to Bas-Uele, the Ebola outbreak had been confirmed in five eastern provinces of the Democratic Republic of Congo: Ituri, North Kivu, South Kivu, Haut-Uele, and Tshopo.
• ▪The deceased individual in Bas-Uele was a motorcycle taxi driver who had travelled from Isiro in the neighbouring Haut-Uele province to Buta.

Record-breaking transmission speed

• ▪Although the Ebola outbreak was officially declared on May 15, 2026, genetic sequencing and a study in Science showed that transmission began earlier, around January or February 2026.
• ▪The death toll in the 2026 Democratic Republic of Congo Ebola outbreak reached 2,000 deaths almost three times faster than during the 2014-2016 West Africa Ebola outbreak.
• ▪The 2026 Democratic Republic of Congo Ebola outbreak took about nine weeks to reach 1,000 deaths, and only about three weeks to double to 2,000 deaths.
• ▪The Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo has recorded 4,566 cases and 2,128 deaths as of August 13, 2026, making it the second-largest Ebola outbreak in history.

Contact tracing breakdown

• ▪The World Health Organization stated that early detection of the Ebola outbreak was delayed because some early cases were misdiagnosed as malaria and typhoid.
• ▪Health authorities report that between 60% and 70% of new Ebola cases in the Democratic Republic of Congo are being detected outside the network of monitored contacts.
• ▪Efforts to contain the Ebola outbreak are challenged by strikes over unpaid salaries, including a work stoppage that temporarily closed the Nizi Treatment Center in Ituri province.
• ▪Local officials in North Kivu province launched a task force in Butembo on August 10, 2026, combining pro-government militia fighters and civil society to protect health workers and enforce quarantines.

Bundibugyo strain characteristics

• ▪The World Health Organization announced on August 12, 2026, that two vaccines developed specifically for the Bundibugyo virus are being tested in humans for the first time.
• ▪Clinical trials for two potential treatments targeting the Bundibugyo Ebola virus began in Ituri province in July 2026.
• ▪The 2026 Democratic Republic of Congo Ebola outbreak is caused by the rare Bundibugyo virus species, for which there are no approved vaccines or treatments.
• ▪The Bundibugyo Ebola outbreak has recorded a case fatality rate of 45.9%, which is higher than the 39.6% rate recorded in the 2014-2016 West Africa outbreak.

WHO emergency declarations

• ▪The World Health Organization has declared the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo a public health emergency of international concern.
• ▪World Health Organization Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus warned on August 12, 2026, that the outbreak is on track to surpass the 2014-2016 West Africa epidemic as the deadliest in history.
• ▪World Health Organization regional director for Africa, Dr. Mohamed Yakub Janabi, stated that health officials are 'chasing the virus' as the epidemic spreads faster than containment efforts.

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