The World Health Organization (WHO) says the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo, first reported across six provinces, could still be brought under control within three months. The assessment came as infections surged beyond containment efforts, making the epidemic the deadliest recorded in the country. By October, the outbreak had spread across eight provinces, information from the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control.
Figures from the Congolese National Institute of Public Health put the toll at 4,945 confirmed cases and 2,325 deaths at an earlier reporting point. In 24 hours, authorities reported 101 new infections and 33 additional fatalities. The toll had surpassed that of the previous major outbreak in eastern Congo, between 2018 and 2020, which caused 2,299 deaths. The current crisis is the world’s second-deadliest Ebola event, after the West African epidemic of 2014 to 2016. WHO reported that by 20 October 2026, the outbreak had reached 9,704 confirmed cases and 4,687 deaths, a crude case-fatality ratio of 48.3%, across 66 health zones in eight provinces.
WHO emergency response coordinator Dr. Thierno Baldé, speaking from Bunia, said the three-month target remained achievable if the international community provided sufficient resources. The virus’s rapid spread has been linked to delayed case detection and fragile healthcare infrastructure. Armed-group insecurity and limited access to remote communities have also hampered the response. Population movement and misinformation add to the challenges, while communities also distrust medical teams. WHO assessed the risk as very high within the Democratic Republic of Congo, high in neighboring countries and low globally.
Many recent infections and deaths were occurring outside known chains of transmission, suggesting that clusters remained undetected. The outbreak is caused by Bundibugyo virus, a distinct Ebola virus species rather than the Zaire ebolavirus responsible for most previous outbreaks in Congo. WHO identified it as the country’s second documented Bundibugyo outbreak, after the 2012 event. The effectiveness of a vaccine against Bundibugyo virus remained under investigation in WHO material published in October. WHO has deployed more than 200 specialists and sent around 300 tons of supplies, while the United Nations has pledged an additional $30.5 million to strengthen the response. The outbreak was declared a public health emergency of international concern on 17 May 2026.
The spread of Ebola to new provinces, including the confirmation of a fatal case in Bas-Uélé, highlights the difficulty of containing the virus amid ongoing instability. By 19 October, Haut-Uélé had recorded 421 confirmed cases and 180 deaths, with seven of its 13 health zones affected. WHO and Médecins Sans Frontières expanded a treatment center there from 40 to 50 beds. The region’s proximity to South Sudan and population movement have also prompted the two countries to strengthen cross-border surveillance. They are also building contact-tracing training and laboratory capacity. The situation in Congo echoes broader regional challenges, including humanitarian crises such as the removal of migrant camps near Melilla, where Moroccan authorities dismantled settlements on Gurugú Mountain to address security concerns. Both cases illustrate how emergencies intersect with local conditions, from armed conflict to public mistrust.
Ituri remained the principal center of transmission, accounting for 72.7% of cumulative confirmed cases in the WHO report of 19 October, while impressive transmission also continued in Nord-Kivu and Haut-Uélé. WHO recorded 9,637 confirmed cases and 4,646 deaths in the country as of 19 October; by 20 October, the totals had risen to 9,704 cases and 4,687 deaths. The outbreak had also become a multi-country event, with imported cases reported in Kenya and Nigeria. The United Nations reported more than 9,765 cases and nearly 4,727 deaths in Congo by 23 October. WHO described transmission in the country as sustained and high-level, and warned of increasing risk of further international spread.
Spain and other European countries are closely monitoring the outbreak’s evolution because of potential cross-border health risks and the need for a coordinated international response. The distinct Bundibugyo virus presents a separate vaccine-effectiveness question from earlier outbreaks in which vaccines targeting Zaire ebolavirus were basic to containment. The scale of the epidemic underscores the need for reliable information and strong healthcare systems, backed by rapid detection. WHO’s call for urgent support reflects the global stakes in halting the spread of Ebola and preventing further loss of life.
