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Ebola deaths in DR Congo exceed 5,300 as outbreak spreads
The Bundibugyo strain has killed more than half its confirmed cases, becoming Africa's deadliest outbreak on record and crossing borders to Kenya and Uganda.
What happened
The 2026 Bundibugyo Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo has surpassed 5,300 deaths, with over 10,400 confirmed cases as of early November. The case fatality rate exceeds 50 percent, making it the deadliest Ebola outbreak ever recorded in DRC and the second deadliest globally, trailing only the 2014-2016 West African epidemic. The outbreak began in mid-May in Ituri Province and has since spread across eight provinces, affecting 67 of the country's 178 health zones.
The Bundibugyo strain has crossed borders into neighboring countries. Uganda recorded 20 cases and 2 deaths before being declared Ebola-free in August. Kenya has reported 9 confirmed cases with 2 deaths since early October, marking the first recorded Ebola cases in that country. Nigeria confirmed 1 imported case in October with no deaths reported. Uganda's outbreak has ended, and active transmission appears contained outside the DRC.
A critical challenge to containment is that approximately 80 percent of new cases are from unknown contacts, indicating community transmission is escaping surveillance and contact-tracing networks. Health authorities say only about 12 percent of confirmed cases have been identified among previously known contacts, with many deaths occurring in communities rather than in monitored settings.
The Bundibugyo virus presents a particular public health challenge: no vaccine or specific treatment has been approved for this Ebola species, unlike other strains. Early supportive care remains the primary intervention. The outbreak has disrupted routine health services, including childhood vaccinations and maternal care, with maternal deaths doubling in some provinces following the outbreak declaration.