KINSHASA / RankWire.AI / – Since the onset of its latest Ebola outbreak, the Democratic Republic of the Congo has confirmed a total of 8,067 cases, according to the World Health Organization. The death toll as of September 26 has reached 3,901, resulting in a case fatality rate of approximately 48%. Authorities report that cases have appeared in 63 health zones across seven of the country’s 26 provinces, making this the most extensive and deadliest Ebola epidemic ever documented in the nation.
The government officially declared the outbreak on May 15, identifying Bundibugyo virus as the responsible pathogen. This marks the 17th recorded Ebola occurrence in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Bundibugyo virus is a strain of Ebola known to cause severe illness in humans. According to the World Health Organization, there is no licensed vaccine or approved treatment specifically targeting Bundibugyo virus disease.
Ituri remains the epicenter of the outbreak, although infections have spread to several other regions. The affected provinces include Ituri, North Kivu, South Kivu, Tshopo, Haut Uele, Bas Uele, and Sud Ubangi. Data from WHO indicated that by September 23, Ituri had reported cases in 28 of its 36 health zones, while North Kivu had cases in 16 of its 34 zones.
Cases decrease but transmission persists at high levels
Recent reports from the World Health Organization show a decline in new infections and fatalities. The organization reported a 20.3% reduction in incident cases over the last two 14-day periods, with deaths decreasing by 24.2% in the same timeframe. Nevertheless, transmission remains intense in parts of Ituri, especially in areas where local trends continue to worsen, posing ongoing challenges for containment efforts.
As of September 26, health teams had documented 2,070 recoveries. Efforts to monitor and treat patients persist, with ongoing contact tracing, laboratory testing, infection prevention measures, and community outreach in affected zones. Despite these efforts, delays in early case detection and rapid treatment have been problematic, and community deaths continue to be a serious concern, often indicating infected individuals did not access care promptly.
The outbreak has outpaced previous Ebola crises in Congo
The current 2026 Ebola epidemic has surpassed the scale of the 2018-2020 outbreak in the country, which reported 3,481 cases and 2,299 deaths in its final tally. It also ranks as the second-largest Ebola epidemic worldwide, following the 2014-2016 West Africa outbreak that involved more than 28,600 infections and over 11,300 fatalities.
Health officials remain vigilant as they track the disease’s spread across borders, with several affected provinces sharing boundaries with neighboring nations. Dungu health zone in Haut Uele borders South Sudan, while Sud Ubangi shares borders with the Central African Republic and the Republic of the Congo. Response teams continue prioritizing early detection, patient care, and infection control measures. Recent national data indicates that Ebola transmission persists despite a temporary decline in reported cases and deaths, underscoring the ongoing threat of the outbreak.