DR Congo Ebola Outbreak: 3,000 Cases and 1,354 Deaths

The Democratic Republic of the Congo’s 17th Ebola outbreak has surpassed 3,000 confirmed cases and 1,354 deaths, according to the latest data released by the DRC Ministry of Health on July 25, 2026. Caused by the rare Bundibugyo ebolavirus (BDBV)—for which no approved vaccine or specific treatment exists—the outbreak has become the fastest-growing Ebola epidemic on record and was declared a Public Health Emergency of International Concern by the World Health Organization on May 16.

As of July 24, a total of 3,096 confirmed cases have been reported across the DRC (3,075), Uganda (20), and France (1), with a cumulative death toll of 1,356 and a case fatality rate of 43.8%, according to Wikipedia. Cases surged 27% in the week from July 18 to 25 alone, underscoring the alarming trajectory of the outbreak.

Context: A Rare and Dangerous Pathogen

The outbreak is caused by the Bundibugyo ebolavirus (BDBV), the rarest of the Ebola strains affecting humans. Only two previous BDBV outbreaks have been recorded—one in Uganda (2007–2008) and one in the DRC (2012)—with estimated fatality rates ranging from 25% to 50%. Unlike the Zaire ebolavirus, which has an approved vaccine (Ervebo) and treatments, no licensed countermeasures exist for BDBV. The WHO has judged evidence of Ervebo’s partial effectiveness against BDBV as insufficient and recommended against its use in this outbreak.

The outbreak began in Ituri Province, a region in eastern DRC with a long history of ethnic conflict and armed group activity. Ituri is rich in gold, tin, tungsten, and tantalum, with armed groups including the ADF, CODECO, and Rwanda-backed M23 competing for control of mining areas. This conflict severely restricts humanitarian access and complicates disease containment efforts.

Key Developments: Geographic Spread and Rising Toll

The virus has spread rapidly across eastern DRC, reaching 46 health zones across five provinces. Ituri Province remains the epicenter with 2,733 confirmed cases and 1,142 deaths, followed by North Kivu (299 cases, 188 deaths), Haut-Uélé (35 cases, 19 deaths), Tshopo (5 cases, 4 deaths), and South Kivu (3 cases, 1 death).

Uganda recorded 20 confirmed cases and 2 deaths, though it discharged its last patient on July 16, leaving no active cases in the country. France confirmed one imported case in a doctor returning from a humanitarian mission, who has since recovered. A US humanitarian worker tested positive and was medically evacuated to Germany.

According to CCTV News citing the DRC Ministry of Health, 755 patients were undergoing isolation or hospital treatment as of July 24, with treatment facilities operating at 87.4% occupancy. Field hospitals have been established in Bunia, Goma, and Mongbwalu.

Hidden Toll: Widespread Undetected Transmission

Perhaps the most alarming aspect of the outbreak is the extent of undetected transmission. The WHO has warned that the true scale of the epidemic could be “at least two to four times” the reported numbers. Dr. Chikwe Ihekweazu, Executive Director of the WHO Health Emergencies Programme, stated in mid-July: “80 per cent of new cases are outside our contact lists and so are coming to us from unknown chains of transmission.” The contact tracing follow-up rate stands at 67.4%, well below the 95% target needed to contain the spread.

Compounding this challenge, 68% of deaths have occurred outside treatment facilities, meaning many cases are never officially recorded. The outbreak reached 1,000 deaths in less than 10 weeks—by comparison, the devastating 2013–2016 West Africa Ebola outbreak took eight months to reach the same grim milestone.

Compounding Crises: Conflict, Displacement, and Health Worker Strikes

The humanitarian context in eastern DRC is dire. Approximately 5.8 million people are internally displaced across the country, with major concentrations in Ituri (923,000) and North Kivu (1.2 million). The region is also grappling with concurrent health emergencies, including cholera (32,100 cases), measles (99,200), and mpox (22,800).

Healthcare workers are bearing a heavy burden. At least 114 health workers have been infected, and 36 have died. In a deeply concerning development, workers at multiple facilities—including the Elikya treatment centre in Bunia—have gone on strike over unpaid wages and unsafe working conditions. “We need to be paid, because in the meantime the disease is spreading at the treatment centre,” Martin Bolombi, a striking health worker at Elikya, told Al Jazeera.

Traditional burial rituals, which involve washing and dressing the body, have fueled further transmission. Misinformation about the disease has led to attacks on health workers, with parts of Rwampara hospital set ablaze by angry residents in May.

International Response: Constrained but Mobilizing

The international response has faced significant constraints. The end of USAID and the US withdrawal from the WHO under the second Trump administration initially left the US “notably absent” from response efforts, according to The Guardian. However, the US later announced $112 million in bilateral assistance for PPE, screening, contact tracing, and diagnostics. The UK has pledged up to £20 million, and the European Union €15 million.

Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) has established three treatment centres in Bunia, Goma, and Mongbwalu. The European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control has sent experts to the region. Uganda closed its borders with the DRC on May 27, requiring a 21-day isolation period for entrants. Both the US and Canada have restricted entry for travelers from DRC.

A Glimmer of Hope: First Vaccine Trial Underway

On July 24, researchers at Oxford University vaccinated the first volunteer in a clinical trial for a Bundibugyo-specific vaccine—the BD-Ebov trial. The trial is evaluating safety and immune response in 50 healthy adults aged 18–55. Dr. Katrina Pollock is the chief investigator.

DRC Prime Minister Judith Suminwa Tuluka, who visited the Ituri epicenter on July 23–24, stated that Congolese research teams are accelerating work on treatments and a vaccine, with results expected “in the coming months.” Two additional clinical trials are already underway: the PARTNERS trial evaluating the MBP134 monoclonal antibody and remdesivir, launched July 2, and the obeldesivir post-exposure prevention trial, launched July 15.

What’s Next

Africa CDC Director-General Jean Kaseya has warned: “If we do not stop it today, this will become the worst outbreak the world has ever documented.” With no approved vaccine, constrained international resources, and a complex humanitarian crisis in eastern DRC, the window for containment is narrowing rapidly. The coming weeks will be critical in determining whether the outbreak can be brought under control—or whether it will spiral further into a global health catastrophe of unprecedented proportions.