Overview
- Health authorities reported 9,066 confirmed cases and 4,381 deaths in the outbreak, figures published late Tuesday that make this the deadliest Ebola episode in DRC history.
- The epidemic is concentrated in Ituri province, which accounts for roughly 74% of confirmed cases, while seven provinces and about 65 health zones are now affected.
- Ongoing armed conflict, attacks on transit and treatment sites, unpaid or depleted response staff and widespread mistrust have reduced contact tracing and testing and left many cases hidden.
- No vaccine or therapy is proven against the Bundibugyo strain that is driving the outbreak, but Ervebo has been given to some frontline workers under research or compassionate protocols and CEPI says the Tumaini Phase 2/3 vaccine trial is in final preparations.
- Confirmed counts likely understate the true toll because many deaths occur outside treatment centres, officials estimate confirmed cases may be about one-third of infections, and recent importation to Kenya shows the outbreak poses cross‑border risks and humanitarian strain on communities.