Ebola outbreak in Democratic Republic of Congo becomes country's deadliest with over 2,300 deaths

The 2026 Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo has officially become the country's deadliest on record, with the death toll surpassing 2,300. Driven by the rare Bundibugyo strain, which has no approved vaccines or treatments, the virus is spreading at an exceptional pace across six provinces. Containment efforts are severely hampered by armed conflict in Ituri province, community mistrust, and the high mobility of artisanal gold miners who evade health monitoring systems.

DRC Ebola outbreak deaths

• ▪The Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo has killed 2,325 people out of 4,945 cases as of August 18, 2026, making it the deadliest in the country's history.
• ▪The 2026 Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo has spread to six provinces, with Ituri province accounting for nearly 90% of the cases.
• ▪The 2026 Ebola outbreak has surpassed the previous record set during the 2018–2020 outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, which killed 2,299 people.

Bundibugyo virus strain characteristics

• ▪The 2026 Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo is caused by the rare Bundibugyo virus strain, which was first identified in Uganda in 2007.
• ▪Genetic sequencing indicates that the Bundibugyo virus strain began circulating in the mining town of Mongbwalu as early as February 2026, months before the official declaration on May 15, 2026.
• ▪There are currently no licensed vaccines or specific approved therapies for the Bundibugyo virus strain causing the 2026 Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

Ituri province gold mining

• ▪Artisanal gold mining sites in Ituri province lack basic hand-washing facilities and social distancing measures, which are critical to preventing the spread of Ebola.
• ▪Hundreds of people, including children like 11-year-old Isaac Batisa, work at the Iga-Barrière artisanal gold mine in Ituri province, where the Ebola outbreak is concentrated.

Mobile miner populations

• ▪Ebola response workers recently lost track of two miners identified as Ebola contacts after they moved to an unknown destination, according to community worker Anna Ndroy Kansime.
• ▪The highly mobile workforce of artisanal gold miners in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo complicates Ebola contact tracing and monitoring efforts.

Community engagement challenges

• ▪Healthcare workers at the epicentre of the Ebola outbreak in Bunia went on strike on July 25, 2026, to demand payment of two months of back benefits.
• ▪Ebola containment efforts in the Democratic Republic of the Congo are severely impeded by armed conflict, deep distrust in authorities, misinformation, and traditional burial practices.

WHO epidemic warnings

• ▪The World Health Organization declared the Bundibugyo Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo a Public Health Emergency of International Concern in May 2026.
• ▪World Health Organization Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus warned on August 19, 2026, that the Ebola epidemic is far from being under control and is moving faster than any previous outbreak.