DRC Confirms 3,200 Ebola Cases and 1,405 Deaths. The 17th Ebola outbreak, declared on May 15 and driven by the Bundibugyo strain, saw about 1,000 new cases in 10 days. Nearly 90% of infections are concentrated in Ituri province; the virus has spread to five provinces. International teams and UN air services are transporting personnel and lab samples, while researchers fast-track vaccines and two experimental treatments.
Ebola Outbreak in DR Congo Surges to 3,200 Cases; Death Toll Reaches 1,405
A health worker in personal protective equipment stands near displaced people waiting for the burial of suspected Ebola victims at the Kigonze displaced persons camp, one month after an outbreak was declared, in Bunia, eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, June 18, 2026. [Gradel Muyisa Mumbere/Reuters]
The Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) has recorded 3,200 confirmed Ebola infections and at least 1,405 deaths, government figures show, as health teams struggle to contain the country’s 17th outbreak.
Released on Sunday, the latest data show an increase of roughly 1,000 cases in about 10 days. The outbreak was declared on May 15 and is driven by the Bundibugyo strain of the Ebola virus, for which there is currently no approved vaccine or specific treatment.
The World Health Organization (WHO) reports that nearly 90% of cases have been recorded in Ituri province in the northeast, which borders South Sudan and Uganda. Overall, the virus has been detected in five provinces, including two where it has only recently spread.
"In many cases the humanitarian community wants to help, but the real challenge is getting there," said Hedley Tah of the UN Humanitarian Air Service (UNHAS), which transports medical teams and response staff to hard-to-reach front lines.
UNHAS is also moving diagnostic samples to laboratories to preserve chain-of-custody and speed testing. Authorities say enhanced surveillance and expanded testing capacity have contributed to the higher number of identified infections.
Health officials warn the outbreak could continue for several more months. Strikes by health workers over unpaid wages have disrupted response efforts at some hospitals, compounding the challenge of reaching affected communities.
Ebola is transmitted through contact with infected bodily fluids and can cause severe hemorrhagic fever. Over the past five decades, Ebola has been responsible for more than 15,000 deaths across Africa.
Research and Response
Scientists are accelerating efforts to develop vaccines and treatments tailored to the Bundibugyo strain. Oxford University announced that the first volunteer group has received an experimental vaccine targeting this variant. Several other candidate vaccines are being fast-tracked into clinical trials, and two potential therapeutic treatments are in development.
International agencies and local health authorities emphasize that improving access to affected areas, securing health-worker payment, expanding laboratory capacity, and community engagement are critical to slowing transmission and saving lives.
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