Congo's Ebola outbreak reaches 29 full beds at Kitatumba treatment center amid mistrust

Sep 25, 2026

Congo's Ebola outbreak, caused by the rare Bundibugyo species, has reached 7,820 confirmed cases and 3,779 deaths. The Kitatumba treatment center in Butembo has filled all 29 beds amid a sharp surge in North Kivu. Efforts to contain the virus face severe challenges, including a 60% death rate in the province, deep community mistrust, and attacks on health facilities. The lack of approved vaccines and the deployment of armed Wazalendo fighters to enforce measures further complicate the response.

Ebola cases and treatment capacity in Butembo

▪Butembo city authorities announced the opening of two new Ebola treatment centres during the week of September 21, 2026, bringing the total number of operating centres in the city to four
▪Medecins Sans Frontieres project coordinator Stephanie Hoffmann reported a very sharp increase in Ebola cases in Butembo over the two weeks preceding September 25, 2026
▪All 29 beds at the Kitatumba Ebola treatment centre in Butembo, North Kivu province, were full during the week of September 21, 2026, due to a sharp increase in cases

Ebola case and death statistics

▪The death rate for diagnosed Ebola patients in North Kivu province is just over 60%, which is significantly higher than the national average of 48%
▪North Kivu province accounted for approximately one-third of newly confirmed Ebola cases and deaths in the Democratic Republic of Congo, according to a World Health Organization report on September 20, 2026
▪As of September 22, 2026, the Democratic Republic of Congo had confirmed 7,820 Ebola cases and 3,779 deaths, making it one of the largest outbreaks ever recorded

Geographical spread of the outbreak

▪Medecins Sans Frontieres emergency coordinator Anthony Kergosien stated on September 18, 2026, that Congo's Ebola outbreak is not shrinking but is moving to new, underprepared areas
▪South Ubangi became the seventh province in the Democratic Republic of Congo affected by Congo's Ebola outbreak during the week of September 14, 2026
▪United Nations Senior Ebola Coordinator Julien Harneis and Congolese officials stated during the week of September 14, 2026, that Ebola transmission was showing signs of slowing in parts of Ituri province

Community resistance and mistrust in Butembo

▪In September 2026, angry residents in Butembo set fire to the Hope Health Post, accusing the facility of collaborating with Ebola responders and destroying hospital beds, medicines, and equipment
▪Some residents in Butembo question the existence of Ebola, believing the outbreak is a hoax, which has led to attacks on decontamination and safe burial teams
▪Butembo health zone head doctor Pablo Paluku Lwanzo reported that some residents refuse to wash their hands or have their temperatures checked at city entry points and public buildings

Late arrival and avoidance of medical care

▪A 10-year-old boy died in triage at the Kitatumba Ebola treatment centre on September 22, 2026, before doctors could admit him, illustrating how late patients are arriving for care
▪Ebola patients in Butembo are avoiding health facilities out of fear that arriving at a hospital means they will be immediately sent to a treatment center to die

Enforcing Ebola measures

▪A leader of pro-government Wazalendo fighters warned that people who repeatedly refused to comply with Ebola control measures could be forcibly taken to treatment centres and whipped
▪Provincial authorities in North Kivu recruited pro-government Wazalendo fighters last month to protect Ebola responders and enforce prevention measures, including operating handwashing stations

Rebuilding public trust

▪Public trust in Ebola responders was eroded by cases of sexual abuse and exploitation during the 2018-2020 outbreak, including some committed by World Health Organization personnel
▪The World Health Organization stated it has significantly strengthened efforts to prevent and respond to abuses since the previous 2018-2020 Ebola outbreak in North Kivu

Staffing and funding constraints in the response

▪The World Health Organization stated that funding and staffing constraints remain significant challenges across Congo's Ebola-affected areas, particularly in North Kivu where bed capacity is limited
▪Only two of the nine health checkpoints in the Butembo health zone are currently operating due to staffing constraints

Challenges of the Bundibugyo Ebola species

▪The response to the Bundibugyo Ebola outbreak in Congo has been hampered by aid cuts, surveillance system gaps, and ongoing armed conflict in eastern Congo
▪The current Ebola outbreak in Congo is caused by the rare Bundibugyo species of the virus, which has no approved vaccines or treatments, unlike the Zaire species that caused previous outbreaks
▪Researchers believe the Bundibugyo species of Ebola was spreading for months in Ituri province before the first cases were confirmed in May 2026