Ebola outbreak in DR Congo escalates as health workers are attacked

A nurse was killed and another health worker was seriously injured in north-eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) after being attacked by local youths. The attackers alleged that the health workers were responsible for contaminating water sources and spreading the Ebola virus. The World Health Organization (WHO) condemned the violence, with Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus emphasizing the necessity of safety for medical personnel.

Since the outbreak began in mid-May 2026, the situation has intensified significantly. Government data as of October 27, 2026, confirms 10,060 cases and 4,887 deaths, marking this as the largest epidemic in the country’s history. The virus, identified as the rare Bundibugyo species, is now spreading regionally; Kenya has reported nine cases, and Nigeria recently identified a case involving the wife of a Swiss diplomat. In response to the crisis, Uganda has banned non-essential travel to and from the DRC and mandated a 21-day quarantine for returning citizens.

This crisis is currently the second-largest Ebola outbreak on record, trailing only the 2014-2016 West African epidemic. Health authorities are actively investigating transmission routes, particularly in cases where patients had no direct travel history to the DRC.