Congo's Ebola infections surpass 9,000 cases

The Democratic Republic of Congo faces its deadliest Ebola epidemic on record, with confirmed cases surpassing 9,066 and deaths reaching 4,381 across seven provinces. Driven by the rare Bundibugyo strain—which lacks approved treatments or vaccines—containment is severely hampered by ongoing armed conflict, medical supply shortages, and community spread. Cross-border transmission has triggered cases in Uganda and a fatal imported case in Nairobi, Kenya.

Scale of the Congolese outbreak

• ▪Health officials estimated that confirmed Ebola cases represent only one-third of all infections in Congo, with many cases remaining undetected
• ▪Data released by Congo's public health institute on October 13, 2026 shows confirmed Ebola cases in the Democratic Republic of Congo reached 9,066, with 4,381 reported deaths
• ▪Congo's Health Ministry reported 88 new Ebola cases in a single update, with the virus spreading across 65 health zones in seven provinces

Obstacles to containing the virus

• ▪Widespread disregard for public health precautions and an ongoing humanitarian crisis have hampered efforts to slow Ebola transmission in Congolese communities
• ▪Ebola containment efforts in Congo are impaired by fighting between government forces and rebel groups, population movements, and severe shortages of medical supplies and treatment centers

Historical severity of the outbreak

• ▪Globally, the 2026 Ebola outbreak in Congo caused by the Bundibugyo strain ranks second in magnitude only to the 2014-2016 West African outbreak, which infected over 28,600 people and killed more than 11,000 across Guinea, Liberia, and Sierra Leone
• ▪The Ebola outbreak declared in May 2026 is the largest and deadliest in the Democratic Republic of Congo's history, surpassing all 16 previous outbreaks in the country