Ebola Outbreak in Congo Expands Further as Health Response Faces Growing Pressure

Kinshasa, August 29, 2026: The Democratic Republic of the Congo is confronting an increasingly serious Ebola crisis as the country’s Bundibugyo virus outbreak continues to spread geographically and place additional pressure on an already strained healthcare system.

According to the World Health Organization’s latest update, the outbreak had reached 60 health zones across six provinces by August 26, up from 54 health zones in the previous reporting period. Authorities had recorded 5,794 confirmed infections and 2,786 deaths, producing a crude case-fatality ratio of approximately 48%.

Outbreak Moves Into More Areas

The epidemic began in Ituri Province but has progressively expanded into other parts of the country. The six affected provinces are Ituri, North Kivu, Haut-Uélé, Tshopo, South Kivu and Bas-Uélé.

Ituri remains the centre of the outbreak, accounting for the overwhelming majority of confirmed infections. North Kivu has become the second-most affected province, while additional health zones have recently reported their first confirmed cases.

The expansion is particularly concerning because movement between communities can make it more difficult for health teams to identify contacts and interrupt chains of transmission.

WHO Maintains International Emergency Status

The latest development comes after the WHO’s International Health Regulations Emergency Committee reviewed the epidemic.

On August 24, WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus continued to classify the outbreak as a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC). However, the organization said the situation does not meet the criteria for a pandemic emergency.

The committee described the continuing growth and geographic expansion of the epidemic as a grave concern and called for urgent, intensified and sustained action.

Hidden Infections Could Make the Outbreak Larger

One of the biggest challenges is determining the true scale of transmission.

WHO experts have warned that surveillance systems are not capturing every infection. Modelling presented to the Emergency Committee suggested that the actual number of infections could be three to four times higher than the reported figures.

The assessment also found that deaths may provide a more reliable indication of the epidemic’s growth than confirmed case numbers because some infections are never detected or tested.

This uncertainty makes it difficult for authorities to predict where the virus may appear next and how many medical resources will be required.

Healthcare System Under Severe Strain

The Ebola emergency is unfolding in regions already affected by insecurity, displacement and limited healthcare capacity.

WHO has reported that healthcare use has fallen substantially in some affected areas. In Ituri Province, maternal deaths have also increased since the beginning of the outbreak, adding another dimension to the humanitarian crisis.

Medical facilities must simultaneously treat Ebola patients while continuing essential services for people suffering from malaria, cholera, injuries, pregnancy-related complications and other diseases.

Vaccination Campaign Begins for Frontline Workers

A new protective measure has also begun.

The Democratic Republic of the Congo started vaccinating frontline healthcare workers against Ebola on August 27, according to reports. The vaccine being deployed is licensed for a different Ebola species, while clinical research continues into vaccines specifically targeting the Bundibugyo virus.

Protecting healthcare workers is considered particularly important because doctors, nurses, laboratory personnel and other responders can face repeated exposure while caring for infected patients.

New Treatment Capacity Added

The international medical organization Médecins Sans Frontières has also opened a new Ebola treatment centre in eastern Congo.

The facility is intended to increase access to specialized care in an area where shortages of hospital beds and medical infrastructure have complicated the response.

Expanding treatment capacity is important not only for patients but also for infection control, since specialized isolation facilities can reduce opportunities for transmission within ordinary healthcare settings.

Uganda Provides a Positive Development

Despite the worsening situation in Congo, neighbouring Uganda has made progress against the same virus.

Ugandan authorities declared the country’s Bundibugyo Ebola outbreak over after completing the required period without new locally transmitted cases. However, WHO continues to regard Uganda as vulnerable to the reintroduction of the virus because of its proximity and population movement across the Congo border.

The situation demonstrates the importance of cross-border surveillance and rapid detection.

International Spread Remains Limited

Although imported infections have occurred outside Congo, sustained transmission has not been established internationally.

WHO’s latest risk assessment says the risk remains very high inside the DRC, while neighbouring countries face elevated risks. The risk to the wider African region and globally remains substantially lower, provided surveillance and preparedness measures continue.

WHO has not recommended broad restrictions on international travel or trade because of the outbreak.

A Race Against Further Transmission

The central challenge for Congo is now to slow transmission faster than the virus is expanding into new communities.

Health authorities and international partners are increasing surveillance, laboratory testing, contact tracing, infection-prevention measures, clinical care and community engagement. But insecurity, population movement, limited resources and gaps in disease detection continue to complicate the response.

With thousands of confirmed cases already recorded and new health zones continuing to report infections, the coming weeks will be critical. For Congo’s health authorities and their international partners, the priority is clear: detect infections earlier, protect healthcare workers, expand treatment capacity and break transmission chains before the outbreak spreads further.