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yesterday

DR Congo Ebola Outbreak Tops 7,200 Cases as Eastern Hotspots Persist

A high death toll combined with limited vaccine options for the Bundibugyo strain and insecure conditions is straining response efforts and sustaining global concern.

Members of the civil protection team's dignified and safe burial service disinfect themselves after handling the remains of a one-year-old child suspected of having died from Ebola, at the Butembo Unit Hospital morgue, in Butembo, North Kivu province, Democratic Republic of Congo, September 13, 2026. Picture taken with a mobile phone. REUTERS/Gradel Muyisa Mumbere
Members of a civil protection team tasked with safely burying people suspected of having died from Ebola attend a daily briefing before deploying to the field to handle bodies, collect samples and disinfect the remains of people suspected of having died from Ebola, in Butembo, North Kivu province, Democratic Republic of Congo, September 13, 2026. REUTERS/Gradel Muyisa Mumbere
Members of the civil protection team's dignified and safe burial service disinfect after handling the remains of a one-year-old child suspected of having died from Ebola, at the Butembo unit hospital morgue in Butembo, North Kivu province, Democratic Republic of Congo, September 13, 2026. Picture taken with a mobile phone. REUTERS/Gradel Muyisa Mumbere
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Overview

  • The government reports about 7,258 confirmed Ebola cases and roughly 3,510 deaths, making this the DRC’s largest and deadliest outbreak and the second-largest globally.
  • Transmission has reached 62 health zones in seven provinces, with sustained spread concentrated in Ituri, North Kivu and Haut-Uele while other provinces report sporadic cases.
  • Officials say the national epidemic curve has trended down from a mid‑August peak but declines are uneven and some provinces continue to see rising case counts.
  • Response capacity is under pressure because the outbreak is driven by the Bundibugyo ebolavirus for which no widely licensed vaccine exists, and teams face insecurity, weak surveillance and displaced populations.
  • The outbreak has prompted international measures including travel and entry limits and medical evacuations to Europe, keeping cross‑border vigilance and funding calls at the forefront of the response.