The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has recorded 5,515 Ebola cases and confirmed 2,642 deaths since the DRC declared the outbreak in its Ituri province in May 2026.
It’s the deadliest Ebola outbreak ever recorded in the DRC, with a case fatality ratio of 48%. It’s also the second-deadliest globally.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) has said the outbreak has been spreading faster than the 2014-2016 West Africa and 2018-2020 DRC outbreaks, driven by a daily average of around 90 confirmed cases during its first three months.
Several factors are behind the rise in the Bundibugyo Ebola virus in the DRC. The WHO said it is believed to have started in a “busy gold-mining area with frequent movement of workers and traders.”
In addition, the region is “struggling with a humanitarian crisis, with insecurity and displacement throughout the region facilitating disease transmission while simultaneously stymying response activities.”
The outbreak has since spread to North Kivu, South Kivu, Haut-Uélé, Tshopo and Bas-Uélé in the DRC.
However, Ituri remains the epicentre and accounts for 85% of the cases and 79% of the deaths, according to the WHO.
Image: Getty Images.
