DR Congo Ebola Cases Rise to 4,449, Deaths Hit 2,061

The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has reported 4,449 confirmed Ebola cases and 2,061 deaths, according to government data released late Tuesday.

The latest figures show a sharp rise from the 3,605 confirmed cases and 1,587 deaths recorded by the World Health Organisation (WHO) as of July 30.

WHO had previously reported 2,124 confirmed cases and 828 deaths as of July 15, meaning the outbreak has continued to increase rapidly in recent weeks.

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Earlier, the WHO recorded 515 confirmed cases and 91 deaths on June 6, before the number climbed to 896 cases and 232 deaths by June 17.

The current outbreak, caused by the Bundibugyo strain of Ebola, was declared in May 2026.

WHO says it is the 17th Ebola outbreak in the DRC since 1976 and has described the response as challenging because of insecurity, population movement and limited healthcare access.

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The outbreak has also been spreading unusually fast.

The US Centres for Disease Control and Prevention said the DRC surpassed 1,000 confirmed cases within 40 days of response activation, compared with about 235 days during the 2018 outbreak.

The latest surge makes the current outbreak one of the most serious Ebola emergencies the DRC has faced, with health authorities continuing surveillance, testing and containment efforts.

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