The Ebola epidemic that devastated eastern Congo between 2018 and 2020 killed 2,299 people and became one of the worst outbreaks in the disease's history. Six years later, the Democratic Republic of the Congo is confronting a far greater loss of life. Its latest epidemic has killed more than twice as many people, surpassing every previous Ebola outbreak recorded in the country.
As of 21 October, Congo had registered 9,704 confirmed infections and 4,687 deaths, according to the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control's latest assessment. Nearly half of all confirmed patients have died, although that proportion may change as surveillance identifies additional infections and patients complete treatment.
The scale of the epidemic has steadily outgrown the areas where it was first identified in May. What began in Ituri province has reached 66 health zones across eight provinces, including North Kivu, Haut-Uélé and the newly affected Nord-Ubangi in Congo's northwest. Ituri remains the centre of the outbreak, accounting for 7,040 confirmed cases and 3,271 deaths.
At Mpondwe boarder, we met with the Provincial MOH colleagues of North Kivu, DRC, to strengthen cross-border collaboration against Ebola. Uganda extended response efforts into Congo to bring Ebola care closer to affected communities in Congo, as patients crossing into Uganda for treatment risked spreading the virus. This proactive approach has helped prevent further imported cases into Uganda while extending support towards ending the Ebola outbreak in the DRC. #EbolaResponse #MOHatWork
— Dr. Diana Atwine (@DianaAtwine) October 22, 2026
The outbreak is caused by Bundibugyo virus, a less frequently encountered cause of Ebola disease. Unlike the Zaire ebolavirus responsible for Congo's 2018–2020 epidemic, Bundibugyo virus has no specifically licensed vaccine or approved antiviral treatment. Doctors must rely on early diagnosis, fluid replacement, treatment of complications and intensive supportive care.
Congo's previous major Ebola epidemic infected 3,481 people before ending in 2020. That outbreak accelerated the deployment of vaccines and antibody therapies targeting Zaire ebolavirus. Those advances cannot automatically be applied to the virus circulating today, leaving healthcare workers without the same disease-specific medical tools.
The geographical spread has also made containment increasingly difficult. In its 19 October situation report, the World Health Organization described continued transmission in North Kivu and Haut-Uélé, even as Ituri's share of cumulative infections declined. Armed insecurity, population displacement and restricted humanitarian access have complicated patient monitoring, contact tracing and the movement of medical teams.
The consequences have extended beyond Congo. Kenya has recorded nine confirmed cases, including one death, while Nigeria confirmed an imported infection on 20 October. The arrival of Ebola in Nigeria prompted health authorities to identify 44 contacts, including healthcare workers, patients and caregivers who may have been exposed. Both countries are conducting contact tracing to prevent further transmission. Earlier transmission in Uganda has ended, according to WHO, following its required observation period.
Despite its unprecedented toll within Congo, the epidemic remains smaller than the 2014–2016 West African Ebola outbreak, which killed more than 11,000 people across the affected countries. The current crisis is nevertheless a severe test of the public health systems built during earlier emergencies.
Congo's immediate challenge is to identify infections quickly enough to prevent further transmission. With cases still emerging across several provinces and no approved Bundibugyo-specific vaccine available, reducing deaths depends heavily on patients reaching appropriate medical care before complications become severe.
