The Ebola outbreak in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo has killed more than 1,000 people, according to Congo’s Ministry of Health and the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention, making it the fastest-growing Ebola outbreak on record.
Scale of the crisis
Africa CDC director-general Dr Jean Kaseya said 1,031 deaths have now been confirmed, with 2,473 cases recorded as of this week. The outbreak was formally declared on 15 May 2026, and the death toll has climbed sharply since, with dozens of health workers among the dead.
A rarer, tougher strain
The World Health Organization has identified the outbreak as caused by the Bundibugyo ebolavirus, a strain less common than the Zaire strain responsible for most past outbreaks. Critically, there is no WHO-approved vaccine or specific treatment for the Bundibugyo strain, unlike for Zaire ebolavirus, which has complicated the emergency response.
Response on the ground
Health authorities have scaled up contact tracing, isolation facilities and cross-border surveillance with neighbouring Uganda, where cases have also been monitored. The WHO has classified the situation as a public health emergency requiring sustained international support.
Aid agencies have warned that continued insecurity in parts of eastern Congo is hampering access for health workers, raising the risk of further spread if outbreak response teams cannot reach affected communities.
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