Ebola Outbreak in Congo Becomes Deadliest Ever Recorded

The Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo has killed at least 2,325 people, making it the deadliest outbreak of the virus ever recorded in the country’s history, according to VRT NWS. The grim milestone surpasses the toll of the previous largest outbreak in the DRC (2018-2020), which resulted in approximately 2,280 deaths and 3,317 confirmed cases.

As of 17 August, the DRC’s public health institute reported 4,945 confirmed cases, including 101 new cases detected in the previous 24 hours. The Guardian reports that the outbreak is now on track to potentially surpass the 2014-16 West Africa epidemic as the biggest in history, which resulted in 28,616 cases and 11,310 deaths across Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone.

A Rare and Dangerous Strain

The current outbreak is caused by the Bundibugyo variant, a rare species of Ebola for which there is currently no approved vaccine or specific treatment, as BBC News reports. This is only the third known outbreak of this species, following outbreaks in Uganda in 2007 (with a case fatality rate of approximately 30%) and the DRC in 2012 (approximately 50%).

This is the 17th Ebola outbreak to hit the DRC since the virus was discovered in 1976. The outbreak was officially declared on 15 May 2026, but experts believe the virus had been circulating undetected since January or February, according to the WHO’s Disease Outbreak News. The WHO declared the outbreak a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC) on 17 May.

A Crisis Spiraling Out of Control

The speed of transmission has alarmed health officials. UN emergency relief coordinator Tom Fletcher warned that someone dies from the virus every 30 minutes, calling on the international community to rapidly scale up response efforts. The outbreak is the fastest growing ever recorded—it took only about 40 days to reach 1,000 confirmed cases, compared to 235 days for the 2018 outbreak. By comparison, it took close to five months for the 2014-16 West Africa outbreak to reach 1,000 deaths, while this outbreak reached 2,000 deaths in about three months.

The outbreak has spread to six of the DRC’s 26 provinces: Ituri, North Kivu, South Kivu, Haut-Uele, Tshopo, and Bas-Uele, according to BETO. Ituri province remains the epicenter, accounting for approximately 85-88% of all confirmed cases.

Response Challenges in a Conflict Zone

The outbreak is occurring in a complex humanitarian and conflict-affected setting, with population displacement and limited access to essential services hampering response efforts. At least 12 attacks on health facilities have been recorded since the outbreak began, and some health workers in the worst-affected regions have gone on strike due to lack of payment and dangerous working conditions.

WHO Regional Director for Africa Mohamed Yakub Janabi stated on 10 August that only 30% of cases are being seen, while 70% of people die at home. Congolese virologist Jean-Jacques Muyembe called the response “slow and ineffective” in an interview with Le Monde, citing “an internal problem at the level of national response coordination.”

Thomas Parisch, a public health specialist with Médecins Sans Frontières deployed to the DRC, explained the concerning trend: “Normally, as an outbreak progresses, the case fatality ratio should fall as contact tracing improves and patients are identified and treated earlier. Instead, we’re still seeing many cases detected very late, when treatment is less likely to succeed, with many identified only after they die in the community.”

Belgian Research at the Frontlines

Belgium, which has deep historical ties with the DRC, is playing a significant role in the response. The Institute of Tropical Medicine (ITG) in Antwerp is conducting new research on the Bundibugyo variant in collaboration with the INRB in DRC, as reported by VRT NWS. Belgian infectious disease specialist Laurens Liesenborghs is on the ground in Bunia, the epicenter of the outbreak.

“The epidemic is far from under control,” Liesenborghs said. “What is happening now is the worst-case scenario: a large and widespread outbreak that barely stabilizes or decreases.” He added: “We are chasing the epidemic.”

Liesenborghs also noted that local health workers sometimes earn 20 times less than others, creating resentment and strikes. “They risk their lives for a pittance,” he said.

Race for Vaccines and Treatments

With no approved vaccine for the Bundibugyo strain, the international community is racing to develop solutions. Clinical trials of two possible treatments began in July 2026 in Ituri, and WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said two vaccines developed specifically for Bundibugyo were now being tested on people.

The UK’s MHRA has given permission for the first human trials of a Bundibugyo vaccine developed by the University of Oxford, based on the Oxford-AstraZeneca COVID vaccine technology. WHO experts also recommended on 7 August evaluating the existing Ervebo vaccine (which targets the Zaire strain) in a Phase 3 clinical trial for Bundibugyo.

The WHO has set a target of 3,000 treatment beds in 12 weeks and 95% contact tracing coverage. The WHO is also sponsoring the PARTNERS clinical trial in DRC evaluating an antibody cocktail (MBP134) and remdesivir.

Regional and Global Implications

Uganda has reported at least 20 confirmed cases, all in the capital Kampala, with the last case reported on 21 June. Uganda declared the end of its BVD outbreak on 28 July, following 42 days without a new locally transmitted case. Two cases were treated in Germany and one case was declared in France—a doctor who had worked in DRC, who recovered and was discharged on 4 July.

DRC Minister of Health Samuel Roger Kamba said the peak has not yet been reached: “In the next three months, we think we will have controlled the progression and will begin to see a decrease.” The WHO has said it hopes to reverse the spread of the disease within three months, though it cautioned that this means bringing transmission under control, not ending the outbreak entirely.

What to Watch For

The coming weeks will be critical. With the WHO warning that the outbreak is on track to be the deadliest ever recorded globally, and only 30% of cases being detected, the true scale of the crisis may be significantly worse than official figures suggest. The international community’s response—both in terms of funding and vaccine development—will determine whether this outbreak can be brought under control before it spirals further.