DR Congo Ebola Outbreak Passes 5,000 Cases, Becomes Deadliest in Country’s History
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The WHO says the Bundibugyo-strain Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo has passed 5,000 cases and killed more than 2,300 people — the deadliest and fastest-growing Ebola outbreak on record.
The Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) has passed 5,000 confirmed cases and become the deadliest in the country’s history, the World Health Organization (WHO) has warned, describing it as a continuing global health emergency.
Government data showed the outbreak had recorded 5,021 cases, including 2,378 deaths, as of mid-August 2026 — infecting and killing people faster than any previous Ebola outbreak on record. The epidemic, caused by the Bundibugyo virus, a strain for which existing Ebola vaccines and treatments were not originally certified, began in Ituri Province in May 2026 and has since spread to more than 50 health zones across six provinces.
Following an emergency meeting, WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus called on the international community to help contain the outbreak, warning that the epidemic was far from being under control. Response efforts have been strained by remote terrain, insecurity, and reports of unpaid health workers going on strike.
