Ebola in DRC Surpasses 5,000 Confirmed Cases as Outbreak Becomes Deadliest in Country’s History
KINSHASA — August 18, 2026 — The Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo has surpassed 5,000 confirmed cases, with more than 2,300 deaths reported across six provinces, making it the deadliest Ebola epidemic in the country’s history and the second-largest ever recorded globally, health authorities confirmed.
The Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) announced on Monday, August 17, that confirmed cases had exceeded 5,000, with over 2,320 deaths. The agency warned that unless its trajectory is urgently reversed, the outbreak could become the deadliest Ebola epidemic ever recorded worldwide. The virus is now claiming approximately one life every 30 minutes .
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Deadliest Outbreak in DRC History
Since the outbreak was declared on May 15, 2026 — marking the country’s 17th Ebola epidemic — more than 5,021 confirmed cases and 2,378 deaths have been recorded across 55 health zones in six provinces: Ituri, North Kivu, South Kivu, Haut-Uele, Bas-Uele and Tshopo . The case fatality rate stands at approximately 47.4 percent .
The outbreak, caused by the rare Bundibugyo ebolavirus strain, has already surpassed the 2018-2020 epidemic in eastern DRC, which killed 2,299 people — previously the country’s deadliest . It now ranks second only to the 2014-2016 West Africa outbreak that claimed more than 11,300 lives across Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone .
‘Far From Being Under Control’
World Health Organization Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus warned on Tuesday, August 18, that the epidemic is “far from being under control,” adding that it “had a big head start, and we are still playing catch-up” .
“We must be frank: the epidemic is far from being under control,” Tedros told the second emergency committee meeting convened under the International Health Regulations. “It had a big head start, and we are still playing catch-up” .
The outbreak is spreading faster than any previous Ebola epidemic on record. During the first 95 days of reporting, the seven-day moving average rose to more than 90 confirmed cases per day — substantially higher than at comparable stages of the 2014-2016 West Africa outbreak or the DRC’s 2018-2020 epidemic . Health officials are particularly concerned about the geographic dispersion: while Ituri province remains the epicenter, accounting for approximately 85 percent of cumulative cases, transmission is accelerating in neighboring provinces .
Challenges to Containment
Multiple factors are hampering containment efforts. Insecurity, displacement of populations, and intense movement along roads, rivers and mining routes are driving the rapid spread of the virus . Over 60 percent of confirmed Ebola deaths are occurring outside hospitals and isolation centers — in villages and communities — creating invisible chains of transmission .
“The greatest concern is that many deaths are occurring at home and in communities, outside treatment centers and among people not on known contact lists,” Tedros said. “Every death like that points to a chain of transmission we have not yet found. Until every chain is found and broken, the epidemic will continue” .
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Health workers face attacks and community resistance, including an attack on a response team in Kandoy in the Aru territory that left one person injured and caused material damage . The early symptoms of the Bundibugyo strain are less distinctive than other Ebola strains, allowing infected individuals to remain in communities longer before seeking care .
No Approved Vaccine or Treatment for Bundibugyo Strain
The Bundibugyo ebolavirus strain has no approved vaccine or specific treatment, making this outbreak particularly difficult to control . Currently, two vaccines specifically designed against Bundibugyo virus have entered human trials . Researchers are also investigating whether Ervebo, the licensed vaccine against the Zaire ebolavirus strain, could provide cross-protection against the Bundibugyo strain .
DRC Health Minister Roger Kamba confirmed that 2,000 doses of the Zaire vaccine have been deployed to Kisangani to begin vaccinating health workers, with more than 20,000 additional doses being added for research and compassionate use . Observations suggest that individuals who had previously received the Zaire vaccine have either avoided developing the disease or experienced milder symptoms .
The WHO-sponsored PARTNERS treatment trial is evaluating antiviral remdesivir, the experimental monoclonal antibody MBP134, and their combination. Preliminary results are expected within three to four weeks .
Risk of International Spread Remains High
The WHO assesses the public health risk as “very high” at the national level in the DRC, “high” for Uganda and other neighboring countries, and “low” for the rest of Africa and the world . Uganda recently declared the end of its Bundibugyo outbreak on July 28, demonstrating that the epidemic can be contained when public health measures are implemented rapidly and comprehensively .
However, international spread remains a concern. The virus was recently detected in France in an international traveler, highlighting the risk of cross-border transmission . Tedros noted that “Borders may slow a response; they do not stop a virus” . The WHO has called for faster data sharing, stronger surveillance, sustained financing and closer cross-border coordination .
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