KINSHASA / RankWire.AI / – Since the onset of its latest outbreak, the Democratic Republic of the Congo has confirmed a total of 8,067 Ebola cases. The death count has risen to 3,901 as of September 26, resulting in a case fatality rate of approximately 48%. Authorities report cases across 63 health zones within seven of the country’s 26 provinces. This outbreak is now recognized as the largest and most lethal Ebola epidemic in the nation’s history.
The government announced the outbreak on May 15, attributing it to the Bundibugyo virus. It marks the 17th recorded Ebola event in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The Bundibugyo virus is a strain known to cause severe illness in humans. According to the World Health Organization, there is currently no licensed vaccine or approved treatment specifically targeting Bundibugyo virus disease.
While Ituri remains the epicenter of the outbreak, infections have spread to several other regions. The affected provinces include Ituri, North Kivu, South Kivu, Tshopo, Haut Uele, Bas Uele, and Sud Ubangi. WHO data indicates that by September 23, Ituri had reported cases in 28 of its 36 health zones, while North Kivu saw cases in 16 of its 34 zones.
Transmission persists despite a decline in new cases
Recent reports from the World Health Organization reveal a decrease in new infections and fatalities. The agency states that incident cases dropped by 20.3% over the last two 14-day periods, with deaths decreasing by 24.2% during the same timeframe. Nonetheless, transmission remains intense in parts of Ituri, especially in areas where health officials continue to observe worsening local trends.
As of September 26, health teams reported 2,070 recoveries, maintaining ongoing surveillance, contact tracing, laboratory testing, infection prevention, and community engagement efforts. Challenges persist with delays in case detection and prompt treatment initiation, which may contribute to community deaths—an indicator that some infected individuals do not access care early enough.
Current outbreak exceeds previous Ebola incidents in Congo
The 2026 Ebola epidemic has overtaken the scale of the 2018-2020 outbreak in the country, which ended with 3,481 cases and 2,299 deaths. It also ranks as the second-largest Ebola epidemic worldwide, following the 2014-2016 West Africa outbreak, which involved over 28,600 infections and more than 11,300 fatalities.
Health officials continue to track the geographic spread of the disease, especially as several affected provinces border neighboring countries. Dungu health zone in Haut Uele borders South Sudan, while Sud Ubangi borders the Central African Republic and the Republic of the Congo. Response teams remain focused on early detection, patient care, and infection control measures. Despite recent declines in reported cases and deaths, the latest national data confirm that Ebola transmission persists.