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The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has recorded its largest Ebola outbreak in history, with more than 3,600 confirmed cases and 1,500 deaths, the World Health Organisation (WHO) has said.
The outbreak, caused by the Bundibugyo strain of the virus, has recorded 3,605 confirmed cases and 1,587 deaths as of July 30, 2026, giving it a fatality rate of 44 percent.
The WHO said the outbreak, which was declared on May 15, 2026, has surpassed the previous deadliest outbreak recorded between 2018 and 2020, which had nearly 3,500 cases and about 2,300 deaths.
In a statement posted on X, the global health body said the outbreak was “intensifying, with sustained transmission and continued increases in reported cases and deaths.”
The WHO added that the past week recorded the highest number of weekly cases, with 567 infections and 296 deaths, describing the figures as evidence of the “exceptional pace of transmission.”
The outbreak is centred in Ituri Province in northeastern DR Congo, which shares borders with South Sudan and Uganda.
However, the virus has also spread to other parts of the country, including North and South Kivu provinces, where insecurity and armed conflicts have affected response efforts.
“Factors like insecurity, population displacement, and cross-border movement continue to hamper response efforts and increase the risk of further spread,” the WHO said.
The health agency warned that population movements and instability were making it harder for medical teams to contain the outbreak.
Ebola spreads through contact with infected bodily fluids and has killed about 15,000 people across Africa in the last five decades.
There is currently no approved vaccine or treatment specifically for the Bundibugyo strain, but vaccine development efforts are ongoing in the United Kingdom and Singapore.
During the current outbreak, 20 Ebola cases have also been reported in Uganda, while one case has been detected in France. Two patients diagnosed in DR Congo were later treated in Germany.
On July 30, the WHO announced that the most promising vaccine candidate would be developed in Singapore, while trials for another vaccine have started in the UK.
Authorities continue to battle the outbreak as they work to expand response efforts and prevent further spread within and beyond DR Congo.
The Bundibugyo virus disease outbreak in the #DRC is intensifying, with sustained transmission, rising cases and deaths, and expanding geographic spread.
This is now the largest #Ebola outbreak ever reported in the country.
As of 30 July 2026:
▶️3605 confirmed cases and 1587… pic.twitter.com/NdXIJ7uDGe— World Health Organization (WHO) (@WHO) August 1, 2026
