DRC Ebola Outbreak Now Largest in Country’s History as WHO Accelerates Trials

The Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) has become the largest in the country’s history — and one of the fastest-growing Ebola epidemics ever recorded — as the World Health Organization (WHO) races to deploy experimental treatments and vaccines against a strain with no approved countermeasures. Health authorities reported more than 3,800 confirmed cases and over 1,700 deaths as of early August 2026, with transmission continuing to accelerate across eastern DRC.

Ebola outbreak at a glance: key numbers

• 3,802 confirmed cases and 1,707 deaths reported as of 4 August 2026, according to DRC government figures
• Case fatality ratio of 44% — nearly half of confirmed patients have died
• Largest Ebola outbreak ever recorded in the DRC, surpassing the 2018–2020 outbreak (3,317 cases)
• Second-largest Ebola outbreak on record worldwide, behind the 2014–2016 West Africa epidemic
• Cases confirmed across five provinces and 49 health zones, with active transmission in 33 zones
• 151 health workers infected, including 44 deaths — a stark reminder of occupational risk
• More than 17,000 contacts under monitoring, with around 80% followed up daily

Why this outbreak is different

This epidemic is caused by the Bundibugyo virus, a rarer strain of Ebola that has caused only a handful of recorded outbreaks. Unlike the Zaire strain that drove previous large epidemics, there are no approved vaccines or treatments specifically for Bundibugyo virus disease (BVD). That makes control efforts more difficult — and it explains why the WHO is pushing experimental countermeasures into clinical trials at unprecedented speed.

The pace of spread has alarmed public health officials. During the most recent complete reporting week, the DRC recorded its highest weekly totals to date: 567 new cases and 296 deaths. For comparison, during the 2014–2016 West Africa outbreak — which ultimately infected about 28,000 people — it took roughly eight months for the death toll to reach 1,000. This outbreak reached that mark in a fraction of the time.

Where the outbreak is spreading

The outbreak began in May 2026 in the Mongbwalu health zone of Ituri Province, in DRC’s conflict-affected east. It has since expanded to North Kivu, South Kivu, Haut-Uélé and Tshopo provinces. Ituri remains the epicentre, accounting for 88% of all confirmed cases and 82.6% of reported deaths. The city of Bunia has reported the highest number of cases (880), followed by Rwampara (627) and Mongbwalu (541).

Internationally, 20 cases were confirmed in neighbouring Uganda and one in France. Uganda declared its outbreak over on 28 July after 42 days without a new locally transmitted case, while the French patient — a health worker who contracted the virus during deployment — recovered and was discharged in early July. Two DRC patients were also treated in Germany. So far, no sustained secondary transmission has been reported outside the region, but WHO warns the risk of cross-border spread remains high.

Global response: trials and treatment centres

The WHO’s R&D Blueprint programme has launched clinical trials of experimental treatments, preventive medicines and vaccines — far sooner in this outbreak than in any previous Ebola epidemic, thanks to years of advance planning. “It’s true that the preclinical data that we’re seeing is promising,” said Vasee Moorthy, acting head of the programme, while cautioning that only trial results will confirm effectiveness.

On the ground, the International Medical Corps (IMC) is opening a 100-bed treatment centre in Bunia — the largest in the country — complementing roughly 900 beds of existing capacity across the five affected provinces. A new Ebola transit centre has also been set up at the Kigonze displacement camp on the outskirts of Bunia to speed up detection and referral of suspected cases.

Challenges: conflict, displacement and funding gaps

The response is unfolding in one of the world’s most complex humanitarian settings. Around 270,000 people displaced by violence now live in camps across Ituri, where overcrowding creates ideal conditions for viral spread. Armed-group activity and attacks on health facilities have repeatedly disrupted surveillance and response teams, while a significant funding shortfall has strained operations.

Front-line workers are feeling the pressure. Healthcare staff in the hard-hit town of Mongbwalu recently threatened industrial action over unpaid wages, and colleagues in Bunia have previously staged strikes over pay and working conditions. Aid agencies warn that without urgent support for communities and workers, the outbreak could expand further.

How Ebola spreads — and the symptoms to know

Ebola is a zoonotic disease; fruit bats are suspected to be the natural reservoir. People typically become infected through close contact with the blood or secretions of infected animals, and the virus then spreads person-to-person via direct contact with blood, bodily fluids or contaminated surfaces. Transmission is amplified in healthcare settings with weak infection-control measures and during unsafe burial practices.

• Incubation period: 2 to 21 days; patients are not infectious until symptoms appear
• Early symptoms: fever, fatigue, muscle pain, headache and sore throat — easily mistaken for malaria
• Later symptoms: gastrointestinal illness, organ dysfunction and, in some cases, bleeding
• Diagnosis: requires laboratory confirmation via PCR or antigen testing

Health teams have also observed that the disease appears to cause stillbirths and premature deliveries, underscoring the need for dedicated care for pregnant patients.

What travelers should know

WHO and national authorities advise avoiding non-essential travel to active outbreak areas in eastern DRC. Travelers to the region should practise strict hand hygiene, avoid contact with sick individuals and bodily fluids, and avoid handling wild animals. Anyone developing fever or Ebola-like symptoms within 21 days of visiting an affected area should seek medical care immediately and disclose their travel history. Australia’s border health measures remain under review, with no changes currently announced for routine travellers.

Frequently asked questions

Is the DRC Ebola outbreak a global emergency?

The WHO has described it as a rapidly evolving public health emergency requiring substantial scaling-up of the response. While the outbreak is the largest ever recorded in the DRC, sustained transmission has so far been confined to central Africa, with no secondary spread reported from the single cases in France and Germany.

Is there a vaccine for this Ebola strain?

No approved vaccine exists specifically for the Bundibugyo virus. WHO is testing experimental vaccines and treatments through accelerated clinical trials, but their effectiveness will only be known once trial data are analysed.

How deadly is Bundibugyo virus disease?

The current outbreak has a case fatality ratio of about 44%. Previous BVD outbreaks in Uganda (2007) and the DRC (2012) had fatality rates of approximately 30% and 50% respectively.

Should I be worried about Ebola reaching Australia?

The risk to the general public outside affected areas remains very low. Ebola does not spread through air; it requires direct contact with infected bodily fluids. Health authorities continue to monitor the situation closely, and travellers returning from affected regions are advised to monitor for symptoms for 21 days.

Bottom line

The DRC is confronting the largest and fastest-growing Ebola outbreak in its history, driven by a strain with no approved vaccine, in a region already devastated by conflict and displacement. The WHO and partners are scaling up treatment capacity and racing to trial new countermeasures, but they warn that far more resources and community engagement are needed to get ahead of the virus. For now, the outbreak remains a regional crisis with global implications — and one that demands sustained international attention.