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DRC Ebola Outbreak Surpasses 11,000 Cases
· Confirmed
In Short: The Democratic Republic of the Congo's Ebola outbreak, caused by the Bundibugyo virus, has surpassed 11,000 confirmed cases and 5,387 deaths.
Ebola tops 11,000 cases in Congo's deadliest outbreak. DW Africa
The Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) is grappling with its largest Ebola outbreak ever recorded, with the Bundibugyo virus causing more than 11,000 confirmed cases and 5,387 deaths as of November 13, 2026.
The outbreak, which began in May, has spread across eight provinces, with the eastern province of Ituri remaining the epicenter.
Health authorities are struggling to contain the virus, with about 80 percent of new cases coming from outside the chains of transmission that health officials are monitoring.
The fatality rate has reached 48.6 percent, making this the deadliest Ebola epidemic in Congo’s history.
The World Health Organization declared the outbreak a public health emergency of international concern on May 17, citing infections among health-care workers, the geographical spread of cases, and clusters of undocumented deaths.
The outbreak has also spread beyond the DRC, with cases reported in East, Central, and West Africa, marking the widest geographical spread of an Ebola outbreak on the continent to date.
The DRC Ministry of Health reported 10,060 confirmed cases and 4,887 deaths as of October 27, marking the fastest-growing Ebola outbreak in the country’s history.
The Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention has stated that at least 95 percent of cases would need to be identified among known contacts for the outbreak to be considered largely under control.
Health Policy Watch reports that since the outbreak was announced on May 15, the DRC has seen 11,114 confirmed cases and 5,433 deaths, with a death rate of 48 percent.
The International Organization for Migration (IOM) has identified 19 strategic river locations in Tshopo Province where additional surveillance points may be needed, but the IOM is short of nearly $60 million to cover a comprehensive Ebola response.
What this adds
The outbreak has surpassed previous records, with the Bundibugyo virus causing more cases than previously recognized outbreaks in Uganda in 2007 and the DRC in 2012.
Health authorities are facing significant challenges in identifying and interrupting transmission chains, with the virus spreading faster than previous outbreaks.
Background
The International Organization for Migration (IOM) has identified 19 strategic river locations in Tshopo Province where additional surveillance points may be needed, but the IOM is short of nearly $60 million to cover a comprehensive Ebola response.
Health Policy Watch reports that since the outbreak was announced on May 15, the DRC has seen 11,114 confirmed cases and 5,433 deaths, with a death rate of 48%.
What's confirmed
- The fatality rate reached 48.6 percent as the outbreak affected 66 health zones in eight of the DRC’s 26 provinces, with the eastern province of Ituri remaining the epicenter.
- RELATED: Ugandans Who Travel DRC Will Spent 21 Quarantine Days at Come Back Due Ebola The outbreak, declared in May and caused by the rare Bundibugyo virus, has become the deadliest Ebola epidemic in Congo’s history, according to data released Tuesday by the country’s Health Ministry.
- It is now six months since the outbreak of the Bundibugyo strain of the virus was announced.
What's still developing
- Bundibugyo virus had caused only two recognized outbreaks before 2026, first in Uganda in 2007 and then in the DRC in 2012, leaving substantially less human efficacy evidence for species-specific vaccines and therapeutics.
- Initial samples tested negative for Ebola virus, but follow-up testing found that 8 of 13 samples were positive for an orthoebolavirus.
- . Measles-related hospitalizations this year stand at 591, per CDC. The Pennsylvania state health department has reported six measles-related deaths so far in 2026, and 1,505 measles cases as of November 9, with 290 hospitalizations. The CDC has confirmed six measles-associated deaths so far in 2026, though it does not specify the states where the deaths were recorded. Measles cases in the US have climbed above 5,000 for the first time since 1991.
- By comparison, the 2018 outbreak took approximately 235 days to exceed 1,000 cases.
- The outbreak has recorded a case fatality ratio of around 48 percent, according to the latest WHO data, underlining the severity of the disease and the difficulties in detecting cases and providing timely treatment.
- The outbreak has already prompted additional travel-related precautions.
- The epidemic has primarily affected Ituri and North Kivu provinces and is characterised by delayed detection, the absence of a specific vaccine or treatment, a fatality rate of 30–50 per cent, and an outbreak response hindered by prolonged conflict.
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- WarpBeat — background on Ebola Outbreak in DRC Surpasses 11,000 Cases, Conflict Hinders Response link
- WarpBeat — background on DRC Ebola Outbreak Surpasses 11,000 Cases, Death Toll Rises link
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