The Ebola epidemic in the Democratic Republic of the Congo has completely out of control, with more than 8,000 confirmed cases and nearly 4,000 deaths. This epidemic, triggered by the rare Bundibugyo virus, is now the worst Ebola epidemic in the country's history and the second largest Ebola epidemic in human history, after the one in West Africa from 2014 to 2016 (over 28,600 infected and over 11,000 dead). As the strain currently has neither known treatment programmes nor officially authorized vaccines, those infected often face a very high risk of death after diagnosis. In the face of the continuing spread of the virus, the international community is accelerating financial assistance and vaccine trials, but shortages of health workers and regional conflicts remain central challenges that hinder the end of the epidemic.
According to the most recent official data of the Ministry of Health, as at 26 September, there had been 8067 confirmed cases and 3901 deaths, with a death rate exceeding 48 per cent. As early as 23 September, the World Health Organization (WHO) released data of 7890 confirmed cases and 3799 deaths, while 1966 patients recovered and 893 were hospitalized in isolation. On 25 September, WHO confirmed that the epidemic had spread to two new health districts, bringing the total number of affected health districts to 63, covering 7 out of 26 provinces. Newly affected areas include Bulu in Southern Ubangi Province and Dungu in Haut-Uélé Province, bordering South Sudan. This suggests that the geographical spread of the virus is constantly expanding, moving away from the initial flashpoints to a multi-provincial pattern.
The outbreak was officially announced in Ituri province on 15 May 2026, but a number of health officials and experts have indicated that the spread of the virus may have begun in January and has continued for more than 130 days. In terms of geographical distribution, the eastern provinces are the most affected regions. Ituri province was hardest hit, with 6032 confirmed cases and 2,764 deaths spread across 28 of its 36 health districts; North Kivu followed by 1480 confirmed cases and 884 reported deaths in 16 of its 34 health districts; Haut Uélé also recorded 322 confirmed cases and 130 deaths, while Topou province recorded 43 confirmed cases and 15 deaths. Despite the decline in new cases in parts of Ituri and North Kivu Provinces, where cases fell by approximately 26 per cent for nearly 21 days and 15 per cent in Haut Uélé Province, North Kivu Province witnessed a 73 per cent surge in confirmed cases over the past 21 days, indicating a distinct pattern of transmission. According to Mary Roselyn Bizile, Director of Emergency Operations for the Africa region, these models indicate that the epidemic remains uncontrolled and widespread. Most worryingly, about one third of new infections are diagnosed after death in the community, highlighting the serious challenges of timely detection of cases and access to early care, and suggesting that the hidden spread of the virus at the community level remains high.
In terms of funding and response, the United States Government announced $267 million in aid funding to provide critical financial support for the international epidemic. Meanwhile, WHO is accelerating clinical trials of vaccines and treatments for the Bundibugyo virus, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo has now begun to immunize health workers in epidemic centres against Ebola. However, the fact that the strain does not currently have officially approved special effects and vaccines leads to concerns among some of the population about access to treatment centres. According to WHO Director-General Tadesse, the lack of approved vaccines and treatment programmes discourages people from reaching treatment centres, which further increases the risk of community transmission. He stressed that conflict and population displacement made key immunization measures, such as tracing and safe burial of contacts difficult to implement and increased communication risks.
The epidemic has had a devastating impact on local health systems. Since the announcement of the epidemic, 50 health workers have died of infection (according to data from the African Centre for Disease Control). Even more serious is the severe shortage of health personnel in the country as a result of strikes by health workers due to delayed or non-payment of wages, which further weakens prevention capacity. The complaints and strikes by health workers are in sharp contradiction with the urgency of the epidemic, adding to the already overstretched disease prevention system. Conflict and population displacement not only impede the access of medical teams, but also make key measures such as safe burial difficult to implement and increase the risk of community transmission. For the local population, the lack of medical resources means that, once infected, they have little access to timely isolation and treatment and that their lives are seriously threatened.
For the general population and for those on the front line, it is most urgent to stop the spread of the disease in the community as soon as possible and to guarantee its treatment. Next, the international community will have to wait for the results of clinical trials of vaccines and drugs, while the problem of salary arrears for health workers must be addressed in order to stabilize the epidemic. In the context of the uneven spread of the epidemic and the lack of specific drugs, the public should refrain from travelling to affected areas, receive immediate medical treatment with symptoms and cooperate with contacts in the health sector. It is only when community transmission is completely cut off and medical resources are secured that the outbreak, which continues for more than 100 days, is expected to be a real turning point.