The Democratic Republic of Congo is grappling with the deadliest and fastest-moving Ebola outbreak in its history. In just three months, authorities reported 2,272 deaths and 4,843 confirmed cases. The fatality rate was nearly 47%, information from Congolese figures at that stage. The surge surpassed all 17 previous outbreaks in the country since the disease was first identified half a century ago, and the virus was spreading faster than in any previously recorded outbreak worldwide. The epidemic kept growing: by 20 October 2026, the World Health Organization (WHO) reported 9,704 confirmed cases of Bundibugyo virus disease and 4,687 deaths in the DRC, a crude case-fatality ratio of 48.3%. Another 2,595 people had recovered. The outbreak had reached 66 health zones across eight provinces. WHO described transmission as sustained and high-level. Its 20 October situation update also rated the risk within the DRC as very high.
Every thirty minutes, another patient succumbs to the virus, a measure of the emergency’s scale. WHO has warned that, at this pace, the epidemic could surpass the devastating West African outbreak from 2014 to 2016, which caused more than 28,600 infections and over 11,300 deaths, mainly in Sierra Leone, Liberia and Guinea. On 17 May 2026, WHO declared a public health emergency of international concern covering the Bundibugyo virus epidemic in the DRC and Uganda. Africa CDC declared a Public Health Emergency of Continental Security the next day. The two organizations launched a joint continental preparedness and response plan on 5 June. By late October, imported cases had also been reported in Kenya and Nigeria. WHO rated the risk as high for countries sharing land borders with the DRC, but low for the rest of Africa and globally.
Bundibugyo virus, a different Ebola species from Zaire virus, is driving the current outbreak. Zaire virus has caused most major recent Ebola epidemics. No vaccines or treatments for Bundibugyo virus have been approved. Three vaccine projects backed by international funding are underway, but results are pending. The existing immunization for Zaire Ebola was developed during the last decade’s epidemic, a process that took a year. Meanwhile, the disease continues to spread amid persistent insecurity. The response has also required more treatment capacity. In Haut-Uélé, seven of the province’s 13 health zones were affected by 19 October, with 421 confirmed cases and 180 deaths. The DRC Ministry of Health, WHO and Médecins Sans Frontières expanded the Ebola Treatment Centre there from 40 to 50 beds. The goal was to isolate patients while maintaining access to impressive non-Ebola care.
Eastern Congo remains destabilized by ongoing conflict between government forces and the M23 movement. Violence continues despite a peace agreement signed in December between the DRC and Rwanda, while Rwanda is accused of supporting Congolese militias. Fighting has forced tens of thousands to flee. Many have moved into makeshift camps with dire living conditions that hamper Ebola prevention and early detection. Ituri province, where the outbreak was declared in May and which accounted for nearly 90% of cases and 80% of deaths in the earlier figures, is among Africa’s most violent areas. It hosts more than 900,000 internally displaced people. In the first quarter of this year alone, more than 100,000 people were newly displaced in Ituri, many already facing catastrophic health conditions. By 19 October, WHO’s regional analysis put Ituri’s share of cumulative confirmed cases at 72.7%. Transmission was also continuing in Nord-Kivu and Haut-Uélé. The outbreak had spread across Ituri, Nord-Kivu, Sud-Kivu, Tshopo, Haut-Uélé, Bas-Uélé, Sud-Ubangi and Nord-Ubangi.
Years of violence have bred deep mistrust and widespread misinformation, further complicating the response by health teams and authorities. The crisis has also exposed the effects of the Trump administration’s closure of the US Agency for International Development (USAID), alongside similar funding cuts by other Western countries. Funding for the Democratic Republic of Congo’s already fragile health system has fallen by 70%, while critical water and sanitation programs have been cut by 73%, undermining efforts to contain Ebola. A lack of sustained international engagement can have far-reaching consequences for vulnerable populations, as other humanitarian crises show. One example is the recent dismantling of migrant camps near Melilla by Moroccan authorities: Moroccan forces clear Gurugú Mountain of migrant camps.
For Spain and other European countries, the situation in Congo shows how global health emergencies can have direct and indirect effects far beyond their point of origin. Past pandemics have demonstrated the risks of ignoring outbreaks in distant regions. The current crisis highlights the urgent need for renewed international support to contain Ebola, alongside investment in basic health infrastructure and humanitarian aid for affected areas. Without decisive action, the consequences could reach far beyond Central Africa.
