Ebola Deaths in Democratic Republic of Congo Exceed 5,000

The death toll from the Bundibugyo strain of Ebola in the Democratic Republic of Congo has surpassed 5,000, according to government figures released at the end of October 2026. Health authorities reported 5,026 deaths among 10,351 confirmed cases, a case-fatality rate near 50 percent. The outbreak was declared on May 15 and has become the second-largest on record after the 2014-2016 West African epidemic.

No approved vaccine or antiviral treatment exists for the Bundibugyo species. Existing products such as Ervebo target the Zaire strain. Clinical trials of two antiviral candidates and testing of existing vaccines against Bundibugyo began in July, but results are not yet available for widespread use. Health workers manage patients with supportive care only.

Eight of Congo’s 26 provinces have recorded cases, with the highest numbers in Ituri and North Kivu in the east. Fifty of 67 affected health zones remain active. Many deaths occur outside treatment centers. The World Health Organization has estimated that roughly one-third of fatalities took place without medical care. Conflict, delayed detection, and strained health services have limited containment.

Cases have appeared outside Congo. Kenya has reported linked infections, Nigeria confirmed its first case in late October, and Uganda has also recorded patients. A Swiss woman who had traveled through the region became Nigeria’s initial imported case. These cross-border detections have prompted travel advisories and heightened screening in several African countries.

More than 2,700 people have recovered. At least 50 health workers have died after infection. Routine services including childhood vaccination have been disrupted, and maternal mortality rose in some affected provinces. Community resistance and insecurity continue to hinder contact tracing and safe burials in parts of the east.

The outbreak’s growth rate earlier in the year exceeded previous Congolese epidemics. Weekly case counts have fluctuated, with some areas showing slower transmission while new zones report fresh clusters. International partners have supported mobile laboratories, treatment centers, and contact tracing, yet the absence of a specific medical countermeasure leaves response teams reliant on isolation and supportive measures.

The scale now places the epidemic second only to the West African outbreak that infected more than 28,000 people and killed more than 11,000. Continued spread into new health zones and neighboring countries will determine whether the total approaches or exceeds that earlier benchmark before control measures take hold.