Ebola epidemic in the Democratic Republic of the Congo becomes deadliest in country's history

The current Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) has become the deadliest in the nation’s history, with health authorities reporting 2,325 deaths out of 4,945 confirmed cases as of August 17, 2026. Declared on May 15, the 17th outbreak in the country is spreading rapidly in northern and eastern regions characterized by weak state infrastructure and limited healthcare access. Reports indicate the virus is claiming one life every 30 minutes, with no vaccine or treatment currently available for the Bundibugyo strain responsible for this wave.

In response to the crisis, the European Commission has announced a 2.5 million euro aid package to provide diagnostic tests to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, starting this month. While sources vary on historical statistics—with one report citing previous figures of 2,299 deaths from the 2018-2020 period and another noting different historical death tolls—authorities confirm the current situation is outpacing all previous records. The European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control has assessed the current risk of the virus spreading to Europe as very low.