Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo

The Democratic Republic of the Congo is currently facing its 17th Ebola outbreak, which was officially declared on May 15. Official government reports as of July 11, 2026, state that there are 1,830 laboratory-confirmed cases and 648 deaths. However, the World Health Organization warns that the true scale of the epidemic might be two to four times higher than official figures suggest. The virus is caused by the Bundibugyo strain, for which there is currently no vaccine or treatment. Most infections are concentrated in the Ituri province, specifically in the capital, Bunia, where 80% of new cases have no known link to previously identified patients. In contrast, North Kivu province shows more controlled transmission among known contacts. The WHO notes that treatment centers are operating at 90% capacity, severely straining medical resources. Historical context indicates that a major outbreak between 2018 and 2020 resulted in approximately 2,300 deaths from 3,500 cases.