Congo's Confirmed Ebola Cases Surpass 9,000 as Bundibugyo Strain Spreads Across Seven Provinces

KINSHASA, Democratic Republic of Congo — Confirmed Ebola cases in the Democratic Republic of Congo have surpassed 9,000, according to government figures released Tuesday, as the Bundibugyo strain outbreak continues to expand across multiple provinces and responders struggle to interrupt transmission.

The Health Ministry's latest situation report put the cumulative total at 9,066 confirmed cases and 4,381 deaths as of Oct. 11, for a case fatality rate of about 48.3 percent. More than 2,300 patients have recovered. The outbreak, declared in mid-May, has become the largest and deadliest ever recorded in Congo, surpassing the 2018–2020 epidemic that caused roughly 2,300 deaths among about 3,500 reported cases.

Health Minister Dr. Roger Kamba told lawmakers Tuesday that the outbreak "is continuing and is not over, given the number of affected health zones and the rigorous monitoring of alerts enabling laboratory testing." He said the daily death toll has fluctuated between 20 and 40 in recent days. Kamba noted that insecurity, high population mobility and the virus's transmission through direct contact remain major challenges.

The Bundibugyo ebolavirus currently has no approved vaccines or specific treatments. The strain is less commonly seen than the Zaire ebolavirus, which caused the 2014–2016 West African epidemic that infected more than 28,600 people and killed more than 11,000 across Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone, according to the World Health Organization. The current Congo outbreak is the second-largest globally after that West African event.

Ituri province in the east remains the epicenter, accounting for roughly 74 percent of confirmed cases. The outbreak has reached 65 health zones across seven provinces: Ituri, North Kivu, Haut-Uele, Tshopo, South Ubangi, Bas-Uele and South Kivu. North Kivu has recorded the highest case fatality rate among the affected provinces, at about 57 percent. Officials have reported that a substantial share of deaths continue to occur outside treatment centers, indicating ongoing community transmission and gaps in early detection and isolation.

Cross-border concerns have grown. Uganda reported 20 cases and two deaths earlier in 2026 but was declared Ebola-free in August. Last week Kenya confirmed its first imported case: a Kenyan national who had lived in Congo, traveled through Uganda and died in Nairobi. Kenyan authorities have placed contacts under quarantine. The Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention has called for strengthened regional preparedness.

No vaccine or antiviral is licensed specifically for Bundibugyo virus. Frontline health workers in some areas have received the Ervebo vaccine, which is approved against the Zaire strain, under research protocols and compassionate-use arrangements. As of mid-October, several hundred workers in Haut-Uele had been vaccinated. Preparations are advancing for a phase 2/3 trial, known as Tumaini, that will evaluate candidate vaccines including Ervebo and at least two Bundibugyo-specific candidates. A separate study coordinated by Doctors Without Borders is assessing Ervebo's performance against Bundibugyo in North Kivu and Ituri.

Response teams have cited insecurity linked to armed groups, population movements, community mistrust, and shortages of supplies and treatment beds as factors complicating containment. Contact tracing rates have dipped in recent reports, and some patients have left treatment centers. Health authorities continue to emphasize safe burial practices, isolation of symptomatic individuals and rapid testing of alerts.

The outbreak was formally declared in mid-May, though some experts believe undetected transmission may have begun earlier. Officials have not released a detailed forecast for when daily case numbers might peak or decline. The next updates from Congo's public health institute and the Health Ministry are expected in the coming days as surveillance continues across the affected zones.