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. As of September 26, the death toll reached 3,901, resulting in a case fatality rate of roughly 48%. The virus has been detected in 63 health zones spanning seven of the country’s 26 provinces. This outbreak stands as the largest and most lethal Ebola epidemic in the nation’s history.
The government announced the outbreak on May 15, attributing the spread to the Bundibugyo virus. This marks the 17th known Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The Bundibugyo virus is one of the species capable of causing severe illness in humans. According to the World Health Organization, there is currently no licensed vaccine or approved treatment specifically for Bundibugyo virus disease.
Ituri remains the epicenter, although cases have emerged in other regions. 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 had cases in 16 of its 34 zones.
Decrease in new cases but ongoing high transmission
Recent reports from the World Health Organization show a decline in new infections and deaths. The agency reports a 20.3% drop in incident cases over the last two 14-day periods, with a 24.2% decrease in deaths. Nonetheless, transmission remains intense in parts of Ituri, especially where local trends continue to worsen, posing ongoing challenges for containment.
As of September 26, health teams had recorded 2,070 recoveries, maintaining surveillance and treatment efforts. Efforts include contact tracing, laboratory testing, infection prevention, and community outreach. However, delays in case detection and treatment initiation persist, with community deaths raising concerns about infected individuals not reaching care early enough.
Current outbreak exceeds previous Congo Ebola records
The 2026 epidemic now surpasses the scale of the 2018-2020 Ebola outbreak, which ended with 3,481 cases and 2,299 deaths. Globally, it ranks as the second-largest Ebola epidemic, following the 2014-2016 West Africa outbreak that recorded over 28,600 cases and more than 11,300 fatalities.
Health authorities continue to track the geographic spread of the virus, especially since several affected provinces border other 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 efforts remain focused on early detection, patient care, and infection control, despite recent signs of decline in reported cases and deaths. The latest national data indicates that Ebola transmission persists across the country.