The fast-moving outbreak has killed 2,378 people, with WHO warning that the epidemic remains far from under control
The Democratic Republic of Congo’s 17th Ebola outbreak has surpassed 5,000 confirmed cases, with 2,378 people dead as of Wednesday, August 19, 2026, according to the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention, as health authorities struggle to contain the rapidly spreading disease.
Also read: WHO warns as DRC Ebola outbreak hits record high
The latest figures make the DRC Ebola outbreak the deadliest Ebola epidemic in the country’s history, overtaking the previous record set during the 2018 to 2020 outbreak, which killed 2,299 people among 3,381 confirmed cases.
The outbreak was officially declared on May 15 after health authorities identified the Bundibugyo virus, a relatively rare Ebola strain, in Ituri Province.
The disease is believed to have been circulating for weeks before the declaration.
Since then, the outbreak has expanded beyond its initial epicentre in Ituri to several provinces, including North Kivu, South Kivu, Haut-Uélé and Tshopo.
The spread has been particularly difficult to contain in areas affected by armed conflict, population displacement and weak health infrastructure.
The speed of transmission has alarmed international health authorities.
WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus warned on Tuesday that the epidemic was “far from being under control”, adding that the risk of further national and international spread remained high.
The current crisis has also exposed the difficulties of responding to a major disease outbreak in communities where access to healthcare is limited and mistrust of health workers remains a significant obstacle.
Africa CDC said resistance to testing and other response measures in some communities was hindering surveillance and containment efforts.
Armed groups and insecurity have further complicated access to affected populations and the movement of health teams.
Another major challenge is the virus itself.
The outbreak is being driven by the Bundibugyo strain, for which there is currently no approved vaccine or specific treatment. Clinical trials of potential vaccines and treatments are, however, under way.
The absence of an approved vaccine is particularly significant because previous outbreaks of Bundibugyo virus have been relatively limited.
WHO recorded the last known Bundibugyo outbreak in the DRC in 2012, when 59 cases, including probable cases, resulted in 34 deaths.
The present outbreak has also become a regional concern.
Uganda recorded cases linked to infections originating in the DRC, while an Ebola case involving a humanitarian worker evacuated from the DRC was reported in Germany in July.
WHO has consequently warned of continued risks associated with cross-border movement.
The outbreak’s expansion has been accompanied by a concerning pattern in which many newly identified infections occur among people who were not previously being monitored as contacts. That makes traditional contact tracing considerably more difficult and allows transmission chains to remain hidden. (AP News)
Health workers are also facing difficult conditions on the ground.
Reports have highlighted unpaid health personnel, shortages of resources and attacks or resistance directed at response teams, all of which threaten the ability of authorities to maintain sustained surveillance and treatment operations.
The crisis has prompted renewed international assistance.
The European Union has announced additional support for Ebola response activities, including testing capacity, while WHO and Africa CDC continue to coordinate regional preparedness and containment efforts.
The current figures mark a dramatic escalation from the situation reported by WHO at the end of July, when 3,605 confirmed cases and 1,587 deaths had been recorded.
The previous record-setting DRC outbreak, which ran from 2018 to 2020, was eventually brought under control after causing thousands of infections and deaths.
The current epidemic has already exceeded its death toll in a considerably shorter period.
For the authorities, the immediate priority remains breaking chains of transmission while rebuilding trust with affected communities.
Public health experts have stressed that medical interventions alone will not be enough without community cooperation, reliable surveillance and secure access to areas where the virus is spreading.
With more than 5,000 confirmed infections and 2,378 deaths already recorded, the scale of the DRC Ebola outbreak has transformed it from a regional health emergency into a significant international public health concern.
Also read: Uganda declared Ebola-free after 20 confirmed cases
WHO’s warning that the epidemic remains uncontrolled underlines the urgency of a stronger and more coordinated response.
Quadri Olaitan is a journalist and contributor to Freelanews.com, covering news, public affairs, and human-interest stories.
