In an overnight update, Congo’s Health Ministry said confirmed Ebola cases had risen to 3,262, with 1,437 deaths reported. Officials said the outbreak is concentrated in eastern Ituri Province and is moving at a pace that makes it the fastest Ebola outbreak on record.
The current outbreak, declared on May 15, 2026, is now approaching the size of the 2018–2020 Ebola outbreak, which remains the largest ever recorded in the country. That earlier outbreak, which affected Congo and neighboring Uganda, lasted for roughly two years and resulted in more than 3,400 cases and over 2,200 deaths, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control.
The latest outbreak is being driven by the Bundibugyo virus, which has no approved vaccine or treatment. Response efforts have also been complicated by rebel violence in eastern Congo and a strike by health workers protesting unpaid wages.
According to The Hindu, the outbreak is spreading faster than health officials can track despite an expanding response. The report said patient zero has not yet been identified, while displacement from armed conflict and illegal mining has made contact tracing more difficult.
The coverage also noted that some communities have been difficult to reach, with responders reportedly withdrawing from certain areas because of security concerns and attacks by residents and rebels. At the same time, signs of improved cooperation have emerged in some places, where residents have begun supporting Ebola teams after earlier tensions and attacks on treatment centres.
Other Information
- U.S.: The U.S. is set to block citizens in Congo from immediately travelling home, citing concerns over Ebola.
- India: India sent 4.5 tonnes of medical aid to Kenya to boost Ebola preparedness. The aid was handed over on 22 July 2026.