KINSHASA, DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF THE CONGO / RankWire.AI / – The Democratic Republic of the Congo has recorded 8,376 confirmed Ebola cases and 4,042 deaths, according to the latest figures from national health authorities. The outbreak has become the largest and deadliest Ebola epidemic recorded in the country. By late September, cases had reached 63 health zones across seven of the country’s 26 provinces. The growing national toll has kept the outbreak at the center of regional public health efforts.
The outbreak involves Bundibugyo virus disease, a form of Ebola that has driven sustained transmission since the emergency began in May. Congolese authorities declared the outbreak on May 15 after infections emerged in the country’s northeast. The epidemic is the Democratic Republic of the Congo’s 17th recorded Ebola outbreak since the virus was identified in 1976. Ituri has remained a major center of transmission, while cases have also appeared in North Kivu and other provinces.
Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention Director-General Jean Kaseya has warned about the risk to countries neighboring the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Continued transmission and cross-border population movement have kept regional health authorities focused on surveillance and preparedness. Uganda previously recorded infections linked to the Congolese outbreak before ending its outbreak in August. Health authorities have also tracked cases associated with travel from the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
Regional risk remains elevated
The World Health Organization has assessed the risk inside the Democratic Republic of the Congo as very high. It has also rated the risk to countries sharing land borders with the country as high. The organization has cited population movement, informal border crossings and continuing transmission among the factors increasing the chance of cross-border spread. It has advised countries to strengthen surveillance, laboratory capacity and cross-border coordination rather than impose unnecessary travel or trade restrictions.
The Congolese government and health partners continue surveillance, testing, contact tracing, patient care and community engagement across affected areas. The response also includes measures to protect health workers and improve access to communities where transmission remains active. Insecurity and population movement have complicated operations in parts of eastern Congo, where several affected health zones are located. Public health teams continue to track new infections while supporting treatment centers and local response systems.
International support backs response
French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot visited Bunia in Ituri on October 3 and reaffirmed France’s support for the Ebola response. France provided 13.4 million euros for Ebola-related efforts between January and July 2026, covering humanitarian assistance, research and health programs. During his visit, Barrot toured an Ebola treatment center and met officials involved in the response. He also said France would seek additional humanitarian funding through upcoming budget discussions.
Bundibugyo Ebola currently has no specifically approved vaccine or treatment, making case detection and infection control central to the response. Health authorities and research partners are evaluating medical countermeasures, while frontline teams continue to isolate cases, trace contacts and provide supportive care. The outbreak has already surpassed the scale of previous Ebola epidemics recorded in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Authorities continue to publish updated case figures as surveillance and laboratory testing identify additional infections.
