Top image: Colorized electron micrograph of an Ebola virus particle (Zaire species; the 2026 outbreak is caused by the related Bundibugyo virus). CDC/Cynthia Goldsmith via Wikimedia Commons, public domain.
The Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, caused by the Bundibugyo virus, was declared on May 15, 2026. The CDC calls it the second-largest Ebola outbreak on record. This Ebola outbreak tracker brings the key numbers together: confirmed cases and deaths, the hardest-hit provinces and health zones, the case fatality rate, health worker infections, contact tracing, vaccinations and cases outside Congo, with a comparison to past outbreaks.
Every figure names who reported it and the date it covers. The case and death series updates automatically each day from Congo’s health ministry data, published by the U.N. humanitarian office OCHA on the Humanitarian Data Exchange. Other figures are updated by hand when new official reports come out. For the full story, read our report: Ebola outbreak in Congo tops 9,400 cases as virus reaches an eighth province.
Outbreak active Ebola tracker · updated Oct. 18, 2026
Key numbers
Bundibugyo virus disease, Democratic Republic of the Congo. Every figure shows who reported it and when. Congo reports confirmed cases only, not probable cases.
Current status
Where things stand as of Oct. 18, 2026. Each line names its source.
WHO declared a public health emergency of international concern on May 17, 2026, and the IHR Emergency Committee kept it in place on Aug. 18. Africa CDC declared a continental emergency on May 18. Source: WHO; Africa CDC.
WHO rates the risk very high nationally, high for neighboring countries and low globally (Aug. 14). It advises against travel and trade restrictions. Source: WHO.
Travelers who were in Congo in the previous 21 days may not board flights to the United States. Some travelers from Uganda and South Sudan are screened at Washington Dulles, Atlanta and New York JFK. Source: CDC; U.S. Department of Homeland Security.
No vaccine or treatment is approved for Bundibugyo virus. MBP134 and remdesivir are being tested in WHO's PARTNERS trial; Ervebo is given off-label under a study protocol. Source: WHO.
Charts load as you scroll. Each one lists its source and the date its data runs through. Tap or hover over a chart to see exact figures. Congo reports confirmed cases only; probable cases are not included.
Cases and deaths over time
Congo passed 1,000 confirmed cases within about 40 days of the declaration, the CDC said, compared with 235 days in the 2018–2020 Kivu outbreak. Weekly cases have since stayed in the hundreds: WHO reported 487 new confirmed cases and 224 deaths in the week ending Oct. 4. The OCHA dataset usually runs a few days behind the health ministry’s daily report, so the latest point may come from the daily report and is marked as provisional.
Cumulative confirmed cases and deaths
Lab-confirmed Bundibugyo virus disease cases and deaths in Congo since the outbreak was declared.
New confirmed cases per week
Weekly increase in cumulative confirmed cases (weeks ending Sunday). Some swings reflect reporting delays and catch-up.
Case fatality rate over time
Cumulative deaths as a share of cumulative confirmed cases, from June 1.
The case fatality rate here is deaths divided by all confirmed cases to date. It can rise later as patients who are still sick either recover or die. The CDC says Bundibugyo virus has historically killed about 30% of people who contract it; in this outbreak the reported rate has been close to 48%.
Where the cases are
Ituri province accounts for about three in four confirmed cases, led by the Bunia, Rwampara, Nizi and Mongbwalu health zones. North Kivu, including Katwa, Beni and Butembo, is the second-largest focus. On Oct. 16 the health ministry confirmed Nord-Ubangi as the eighth affected province. Health worker infections are a continuing concern: WHO counted 245 health workers infected, 47 of whom died, by Oct. 4.
Health zones with the most cases
Cumulative confirmed cases in the 15 most affected of Congo's health zones.
Cases and deaths by province
Cumulative confirmed cases and deaths in the eight affected provinces.
| Province | Cases | Deaths | Zones affected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ituri | 6,891 | 3,180 | 28/36 |
| Nord-Kivu (North Kivu) | 2,027 | 1,150 | 17/34 |
| Haut-Uélé | 406 | 174 | 7/13 |
| Tshopo | 71 | 25 | 7/23 |
| Bas-Uélé | 13 | 4 | 4/11 |
| Sud-Kivu (South Kivu) | 3 | 1 | 1/34 |
| Sud-Ubangi | 2 | 1 | 1/16 |
| Nord-Ubangi | 2 | 1 | 1/11 |
Source: INSP SitRep 155, data as of Oct. 16, 2026.
Contact tracing remains a weak point. On Oct. 16, 79.1% of listed contacts were seen, below the 85% target. Follow-up in Bunia was 24.9%, according to INSP.
Vaccines and treatments
No vaccine or treatment is licensed for Bundibugyo virus. WHO and Africa CDC welcomed the allocation of 70,000 doses of Merck’s Ervebo, a vaccine against the related Zaire ebolavirus, to Congo in August; 20,000 doses are reserved for a trial. Ervebo is being given to health and frontline workers under a study protocol, and North Kivu launched its campaign at Beni General Hospital on Oct. 16, with 62 people vaccinated on the first day against a provincial target of 36,070. WHO’s PARTNERS trial, which began enrolling patients on July 2, is testing the antibody MBP134 and the antiviral remdesivir.
People vaccinated with Ervebo
Cumulative number vaccinated, as reported in WHO's weekly situation reports. Vaccination began in late August.
Cases outside Congo
Uganda reported 20 confirmed cases and 2 deaths and declared its outbreak over on Aug. 27. France reported one imported case, who recovered. Kenya confirmed its first case on Oct. 6; by Oct. 17 it had seven cases, including one death and three health workers, and said 128 of 130 contacts were in quarantine. “The risk to the general public remains low as there is no evidence of community transmission,” Kenya’s health ministry said, according to Reuters. An MSF staff member who tested positive in Congo was evacuated to the Netherlands on Oct. 1.
United States: The CDC says there are no cases in the U.S. and the risk to the public is low. Travelers who were in Congo in the previous 21 days may not board flights to the United States. In Massachusetts, the Department of Public Health issued guidance to clinicians, and Mass General is New England’s designated Ebola treatment center.
How this outbreak compares with past Ebola outbreaks
Only the 2014–2016 West Africa epidemic has been larger. The 2026 outbreak has already caused more than 40 times as many cases as the two earlier Bundibugyo outbreaks combined. Past totals include probable cases where WHO reported them; Congo’s 2026 count is confirmed cases only.
How this outbreak compares
Total cases and deaths in selected Ebola and related outbreaks. Counts include probable cases where reported; the 2026 figure is confirmed cases only.
| Outbreak | Virus | Cases | Deaths | Fatality | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2014–16 West Africa (Guinea, Liberia, Sierra Leone) | Zaire | 28,616 | 11,310 | 40% | WHO situation report, June 10, 2016 |
| 2026 DRC (current, confirmed only) | Bundibugyo | 9,415 | 4,536 | 48% | INSP SitRep 155, Oct. 16, 2026 |
| 2018–20 DRC (North Kivu, Ituri) | Zaire | 3,470 | 2,287 | 66% | WHO, June 25, 2020 |
| 2000–01 Uganda (Gulu) | Sudan | 425 | 224 | 53% | CDC outbreak history |
| 1976 Zaire (Yambuku) | Zaire | 318 | 280 | 88% | CDC outbreak history |
| 2022 Uganda (Mubende) | Sudan | 164 | 77 | 47% | WHO (includes 22 probable cases and 22 probable deaths) |
| 2007 Uganda (Bundibugyo) | Bundibugyo | 149 | 37 | 25% | WHO outbreak table |
| 2025 DRC (Kasai) | Zaire | 64 | 45 | 70% | WHO/CDC (53 confirmed, 11 probable) |
| 2012 DRC (Isiro) | Bundibugyo | 57 | 29 | 51% | WHO outbreak table |
Timeline
- First known case falls ill
A health worker, the earliest suspected case identified so far, develops symptoms and later dies at a medical center in Bunia, according to WHO.
Source: WHO Disease Outbreak News
- WHO alerted
WHO is alerted to a high-mortality outbreak of an unknown illness in Mongbwalu health zone, Ituri, including the deaths of four health workers.
Source: WHO Disease Outbreak News
- Outbreak declared
Congo declares an outbreak of Bundibugyo virus disease after lab confirmation by INRB. Uganda reports an imported case the same day.
Source: WHO; Congo Ministry of Health
- Global health emergency
WHO declares a public health emergency of international concern.
Source: WHO
- Continental emergency and U.S. travel measures
Africa CDC declares a public health emergency of continental security. The U.S. announces entry restrictions and screening for travelers from the region.
Source: Africa CDC; CDC
- Case in France
France reports an imported case. The patient later recovers.
Source: ECDC; WHO
- Treatment trial begins
WHO's PARTNERS trial starts enrolling patients to test MBP134 and remdesivir.
Source: WHO
- "Playing catch-up"
WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus says the outbreak "had a big head start" and is on track to surpass West Africa's.
Source: AP
- Ervebo doses approved
70,000 doses of Ervebo are allocated to Congo, WHO and Africa CDC announce on Aug. 20. The IHR Emergency Committee keeps the global emergency in place on Aug. 18.
Source: WHO
- Uganda outbreak over
Uganda declares its outbreak over after 20 cases and 2 deaths. Ervebo vaccination of frontline workers begins in Congo in late August.
Source: WHO; CIDRAP
- "Cautious optimism"
Africa CDC's Emergency Consultative Group sees declines in some hotspots, including Ituri, but recommends keeping the continental emergency.
Source: Africa CDC
- MSF worker evacuated
An MSF staff member infected in Congo is flown to the Netherlands for care.
Source: MSF
- Kenya's first case
Kenya confirms an imported case; the patient dies.
Source: Africa CDC
- Dispute over funds
Africa CDC chief Jean Kaseya says more than $700 million of $962 million pledged has not been accounted for to Congolese authorities.
Source: The Boston Report
- Eighth province; North Kivu vaccinations
Nord-Ubangi becomes the eighth affected province. North Kivu starts vaccinating frontline workers in Beni.
Source: INSP SitRep 155
- Kenya reaches seven cases
Kenya confirms four more cases, three of them health workers.
Source: Kenya Ministry of Health via Reuters
How we build this tracker
The case and death series and health-zone totals come from the OCHA DRC dataset “République démocratique du Congo : Cas et Décès d’Ebola” on the Humanitarian Data Exchange (CC BY 4.0), which compiles Congo health ministry (INSP) situation reports. The page checks it automatically every morning; if the data cannot be reached or fails basic checks, the last good data stays on the page. Because that dataset runs a few days behind, the latest daily INSP situation report is shown as a provisional point. Province totals, contact tracing, recoveries, health worker infections, vaccinations, cases outside Congo and past outbreaks are entered by hand from INSP, WHO, CDC, Africa CDC and national health ministry reports. Every figure keeps its own source and date. We show confirmed cases only, because Congo does not report probable cases, and we leave a chart out when no reliable, dated figure exists. The underlying data is available as JSON at /wp-json/tbr/v1/eb-json under CC BY 4.0. This page is for information and is not medical advice.
Frequently asked questions
Is there an Ebola outbreak right now?
Yes. The Democratic Republic of the Congo declared an outbreak of Bundibugyo virus disease, a type of Ebola disease, on May 15, 2026. As of Oct. 16, Congo's National Institute of Public Health (INSP) had reported 9,415 confirmed cases and 4,536 deaths in eight provinces. Kenya has reported seven cases.
What is Bundibugyo virus?
Bundibugyo virus is one of the orthoebolaviruses that cause Ebola disease. It was first identified in Bundibugyo district, Uganda, in 2007. Before 2026 it had caused only two known outbreaks, in Uganda in 2007 and in Congo in 2012.
How big is the 2026 Ebola outbreak?
The U.S. CDC calls it the second-largest Ebola outbreak on record, after the 2014–2016 West Africa epidemic, which had 28,616 cases and 11,310 deaths. It passed the 2018–2020 Kivu outbreak (3,470 cases) in the summer of 2026.
Is there a vaccine for this Ebola outbreak?
No vaccine is licensed against Bundibugyo virus. Ervebo, which protects against Zaire ebolavirus, is being given off-label to health and frontline workers under a study protocol; WHO reported 8,497 people vaccinated by Oct. 4. Experimental Bundibugyo vaccines from Oxford and Moderna are in early trials.
Is there a treatment for Bundibugyo Ebola?
No treatment is approved. Patients receive supportive care such as fluids and management of symptoms. WHO's PARTNERS trial is testing the antibody MBP134 and the antiviral remdesivir.
Are there Ebola cases in the United States?
No. The CDC said in October 2026 that there were no cases in the United States and that the risk to the U.S. public is low. The U.S. has restricted entry for travelers who were in Congo in the previous 21 days.
Which countries have reported cases?
Congo is the center of the outbreak. Uganda reported 20 cases and 2 deaths before declaring its outbreak over on Aug. 27. France reported one imported case, who recovered. Kenya reported its first case on Oct. 6 and had seven by Oct. 17. An MSF health worker was evacuated to the Netherlands on Oct. 1.
How does Ebola spread?
Ebola spreads through direct contact with the blood or body fluids of a person who is sick with or has died from the disease, or with contaminated objects. People are not contagious before symptoms start. Symptoms can appear 2 to 21 days after exposure.
Why does the tracker show only confirmed cases?
Congo's health ministry reports laboratory-confirmed cases and does not publish a count of probable cases, according to the CDC. Past outbreak totals in the comparison table include probable cases where WHO reported them.
Where does the data on this page come from?
The case and death series comes from the OCHA DRC dataset on the Humanitarian Data Exchange, which compiles Congo health ministry (INSP) reports and refreshes automatically each day. The latest daily figures, provinces, vaccination and health worker numbers come from INSP and WHO situation reports and are updated by hand.
Sources
- OCHA DRC / Humanitarian Data Exchange: République démocratique du Congo, cas et décès d'Ebola (CC BY 4.0, daily)
- INSP (DRC Ministry of Health): Situation report No. 155, data as of Oct. 16, 2026 (PDF, French)
- WHO Regional Office for Africa: Weekly external situation report 21, data as of Oct. 4, 2026
- WHO Regional Office for Africa: Weekly external situation report 19, data as of Sept. 20, 2026
- WHO Regional Office for Africa: Weekly external situation report 17, data as of Sept. 6, 2026
- WHO Disease Outbreak News: Ebola disease caused by Bundibugyo virus, Democratic Republic of the Congo (DON619)
- WHO Disease Outbreak News: first report (DON602)
- WHO: IHR Emergency Committee on Bundibugyo virus disease
- WHO: Patient enrolment begins in treatment trial (July 2, 2026)
- WHO and Africa CDC welcome the allocation of Ebola vaccines to Congo (Aug. 20, 2026)
- CDC: Ebola outbreak, current situation
- CDC: History of Ebola outbreaks
- Federal Register: CDC order continuing entry suspension (Oct. 15, 2026)
- Africa CDC: Public health emergency of continental security
- Africa CDC: Emergency Consultative Group review
- Africa CDC: Statement on Kenya's first case
- ECDC: Ebola disease outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo
- UKHSA: Ebola and Marburg outbreaks and case locations
- Reuters: Kenya confirms four new Ebola cases, bringing total to seven (Oct. 17, 2026)
- MSF: Staff member tests positive and is medically evacuated (Oct. 1, 2026)
- AP: Congo's Ebola outbreak is on track to surpass the deadliest one in history, WHO chief says (Aug. 12, 2026)
- CIDRAP: Ebola vaccination effort begins in DR Congo
- State House News Service: Mass. health officials monitoring Ebola outbreak in Africa
- WHO: 10th Ebola outbreak in Congo declared over (June 25, 2020)
Photos: Wikimedia Commons, public domain, CC BY 2.0 or CC BY-SA 2.0, credited under each image. Photos from earlier outbreaks are file photos.