Bundibugyo virus outbreak in Democratic Republic of Congo spreads to 63 health zones, case detected in Kenya

The Bundibugyo Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo has escalated into the country's largest on record, spreading to 64 health zones and causing 4,205 deaths as of October 6, 2026. The crisis has taken an international turn with Kenya confirming its first imported case, a patient who traveled from the DRC and subsequently died in Nairobi. Containment efforts are severely hampered by active conflict, mass displacement, and deep community mistrust in North Kivu, while the complete lack of approved vaccines or treatments for the Bundibugyo strain leaves health workers with limited tools to combat the high 48.2% mortality rate.

Scale of the DRC outbreak

• ▪The ongoing Bundibugyo virus outbreak is the largest Ebola disease outbreak ever recorded in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, surpassing all previous outbreaks regardless of the virus species.
• ▪As of October 6, 2026, the Democratic Republic of the Congo has recorded 8,728 confirmed cases and 4,205 confirmed deaths during the Bundibugyo virus outbreak, representing a crude case fatality ratio of 48.2%.
• ▪The Bundibugyo virus Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo has spread to 64 health zones across seven provinces, according to the World Health Organization as of October 6, 2026.

Treatment capacity in Butembo

• ▪City authorities in Butembo announced the opening of two new Ebola treatment centres during the week of September 25, 2026, bringing the total number of operational treatment centres in the city to four.
• ▪The Kitatumba Ebola treatment centre in Butembo, North Kivu province, filled all 29 of its available beds during the week of September 25, 2026, as surging cases overwhelmed local health facilities.

Obstacles to outbreak response

• ▪Deep-seated public mistrust, fueled by memories of past Zaire Ebola outbreaks and historical exploitation, has led some residents in North Kivu to avoid health facilities and attack decontamination and burial teams.
• ▪Armed conflict, population displacement, and access constraints in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo are severely hindering contact tracing and response efforts, according to World Health Organization Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.

Development of vaccines and treatments

• ▪The World Health Organization is working to accelerate clinical trials for Bundibugyo virus vaccines and treatments to address the current therapeutic gap, according to Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
• ▪The lack of approved vaccines and specific treatments for the Bundibugyo strain of Ebola is complicating the public health response and discouraging individuals from seeking timely care at treatment centers.

Imported case in Kenya

• ▪Kenya's Ministry of Health reported its first laboratory-confirmed imported Bundibugyo virus case on October 6, 2026; the adult traveled from Democratic Republic of Congo through Kampala, Uganda, by road, flying to Nairobi on October 3, and died October 5.
• ▪Health authorities in Kenya and Uganda have initiated public health response measures, including contact tracing, following the imported Bundibugyo virus case.

Evacuation to the Netherlands

• ▪The Netherlands reported the medical evacuation of a healthcare worker who tested positive for Bundibugyo virus in the Democratic Republic of the Congo on October 1, 2026, to undergo treatment in the Netherlands.
• ▪The Netherlands will not report the evacuated healthcare worker's infection as a local case of Bundibugyo virus disease.

Debatable claims

• ▪The DRC should not use armed fighters to enforce Ebola control measures
• ▪Travel restrictions on the DRC are justified to prevent the spread of the Bundibugyo virus