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Ebola Outbreak in Eastern DRC Tops 1,000 Cases

No licensed vaccine or specific therapy exists for the Bundibugyo strain, creating urgent pressure on regional health services.

Overview

  • The DRC health ministry reported 1,003 confirmed Ebola cases and 254 deaths across Ituri, Nord‑Kivu and Sud‑Kivu as of Monday, June 22, 2026.
  • The outbreak is driven by the rare Bundibugyo strain for which there is no approved vaccine or targeted treatment, so response relies on isolation, infection control and supportive care.
  • Contact tracing is incomplete at roughly 55–60 percent of contacts identified, well below the WHO target of 90 percent and hindering efforts to stop transmission.
  • The virus has spread to neighbouring Uganda, where WHO has recorded about 20 infections and two deaths, and Ebola treatment centres in the region are operating near capacity.
  • Ongoing armed conflict, crowded IDP camps with limited water and sanitation, and funding shortfalls are worsening humanitarian risk and prompting international agencies to call for urgent support.