DRC – 17th Ebola Outbreak (Bundibugyo virus) - Concerns over reliability of Government reported cumulative cases and deaths - May 2026+

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Ituri-

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The Ania reference health center in Ituri, closed after new Ebola infections

Published on Mon, 26/10/2026 - 14:08 | Modified on Mon, 26/10/2026 - 14:13

The Ania referral health center in the Aru territory of Ituri province has been closed for a week following new Ebola infections among patients. Health sources indicate that approximately fifteen new cases have been recorded, including members of the healthcare staff.

The source of this chain of infections was a patient from Haut-Uélé, also affected by the epidemic, who had been admitted to the Ania health center. After testing positive for the Ebola virus, he was transferred to a treatment center, where he died a few days later.

Following this case, response teams traced individuals who had been in contact with the patient at the health facility. Among those identified, approximately ten healthcare workers and family members tested positive. They are currently receiving treatment at the Ebola treatment center in Aru. Other suspected cases are also undergoing medical examinations.

Meanwhile, awareness campaigns about preventive measures are being stepped up in the region.

The center has been closed and decontaminated.

In response to this situation, health authorities have suspended operations at the Ania referral health center, which is no longer admitting new patients. A decontamination operation of the facility is underway.

Health authorities are also calling for the strengthening of prevention measures and the provision of appropriate protective equipment in health facilities, in order to reduce the risk of contamination of healthcare staff.

Meanwhile, public awareness campaigns are intensifying in Aru, according to multiple sources. The territory receives daily travelers from Bunia, other localities in Ituri and Haut-Uélé, areas affected by the epidemic, as is North Kivu.

Le centre de santé de référence d’Ania en Ituri, fermé après de nouvelles contaminations à Ebola

Le centre de santé de référence d’Ania, dans le territoire d’Aru, en Ituri, est fermé depuis une semaine à la suite de nouvelles contaminations au virus Ebola parmi les personnes prises en charge dans cette structure. Selon des sources sanitaires, une quinzaine de nouveaux cas ont été...

www.radiookapi.net

 

[Michael Coston]

ECDC & CDC Updates On Ebola Multi-country outbreak 2026​

Credit CDC



#19,388

With the number of confirmed cases nearing 10,000, the Ebola Bundibugyo outbreak in central Africa - which was first announced in mid-May in the DRC - is now the second largest in history, and shows no sign of stopping.




Credit CDC


This outbreak has spilled over into neighboring countries, and an imported case was recently reported in Nigeria (see ECDC Threat assessment brief – Importation of Ebola disease cases caused by Bundibugyo virus to Kenya and Nigeria).

While sporadic exported cases are always possible, the public health risks outside of the DRC and surrounding areas is considered low.

Yesterday the CDC (link) and the ECDC (link) both posted updated outbreak reports. Excerpts from both follow:

Ebola disease: Multi-country outbreak 2026

This page is updated regularly. It was last updated on 26 October at 16:30.

An outbreak of Ebola disease caused by Bundibugyo virus has been ongoing in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) since May 2026. Cases were also reported in Kenya and Nigeria in October 2026 and have been reported in Uganda, where the outbreak has ended.

Key facts

On 20 October 2026, an Ebola case was reported in Nigeria. The individual, who had travel history to Uganda, developed symptoms on 7 October, sought medical care on 11 October, and tested positive on 20 October. A total of 53 contacts have been identified to date, and further epidemiological investigations are ongoing.

As of 25 October, in Kenya, a total of nine confirmed cases, including two deaths, have been reported, all linked to the first case. The last case was reported on 20 October 2026 (close contact of the first case) and the second death on 23 October 2026.

As of 25 October 2026, the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) has reported a total of 9 964 confirmed cases, including 4 851 related deaths (from data up until 24 October). Since the beginning of the outbreak, eight provinces have been affected: Ituri, Nord-Kivu, Sud-Kivu, Tshopo, Haut-Uélé, Bas-Uélé, Sud Ubangi and Nord Ubangi.
ECDC is monitoring the outbreak through its epidemic intelligence activities and actively liaising with partners to support the response.

ECDC is actively liaising with key partners, including Africa CDC, the European Commission, the World Health Organization, the European Union Delegation in Nigeria and Nigeria CDC to provide further support through the EU Health Task Force in response to the ongoing event in Nigeria.

For more detailed epidemiological information and updates on the outbreak, visit ECDC’s Public health events page.

Cases medically evacuated or imported to Europe

Since May 2026, four cases of Ebola disease linked to the outbreak in DRC have been medically evacuated or imported to the European Union/European Economic Area (EU/EEA). Three patients were medically evacuated for specialised care, two to Germany and one to the Netherlands. A fourth case was reported in France in July. All four cases involved people working in healthcare or humanitarian roles in affected areas of DRC. In July, a resident of the United Kingdom (UK) was also evacuated to the UK following potential exposure while treating Ebola patients in DRC.

ECDC risk assessment

On the basis of the available information, and given the uncertainties surrounding this outbreak, the likelihood of infection for people from the European Union/European Economic Area (EU/EEA) living in or travelling to affected areas is estimated to be low. Given the very low likelihood of importation and secondary transmission, the likelihood of infection for people living in the EU/EEA is estimated to be very low. This assessment will be reviewed as further information becomes available.

The CDC's update outlines some of the challenges in containing this outbreak:

Response challenges

• The response to this outbreak is challenging due to a number of complex circumstances in the region.
  • Limited health infrastructure, including limited access to healthcare, diagnostic and laboratory services, infection prevention and control supplies, and other basic services make stopping this outbreak more difficult.
  • Ongoing conflict in the area where the outbreak is occurring creates security issues and complicates contact tracing and infection prevention and control.
  • Violence against healthcare workers and shortages of personal protective equipment are leading to healthcare workers becoming infected while treating patients.
  • Frequent population movement and cross-border travel increase the risk of spread to Uganda, South Sudan, Rwanda, and to other areas.
  • Lack of trust in the government and misinformation make communicating about Ebola more difficult.

Additionally, the WHO points out:

Differentiating BVD from other endemic febrile illnesses such as malaria is challenging without laboratory confirmation. Outbreak control relies on rapid case identification and investigation, isolation and care, contact tracing, safe burials and strong community engagement, as no approved vaccines or specific treatments currently exist for BVD.

On October 23rd, the WHO announced the start of a Phase 2/3 clinical trial to evaluate potential vaccine candidates; starting with Ervebo (an Ebola Zaire-specific vaccine). Details on this trial were published by CEPI late last week.

These studies, however, will take months. And positive results are not guaranteed.

Which means there seems little chance that the outbreak in Africa will be brought under control anytime soon.


https://afludiary.blogspot.com/2026/10/ecdc-cdc-updates-on-ebola-multi-country.html

 

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Images translated by Google

SitRep N°164/MVE-BDBV/25/10/2026​

• October 27, 2026
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SitRep N°164/MVE-BDBV/25/10/2026 – Institut National de Sante Publique

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Images translated by Google​

SitRep N°165/MVE-BDBV/26/10/2026​

• October 28, 2026
• Posted by
  
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SitRep N°165/MVE-BDBV/26/10/2026 – Institut National de Sante Publique

insp.cd

 

[Pathfinder]

Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus
@DrTedros
More than 10,000 people been infected and reported with #Ebola in the #DRC, and, sadly, close to half have died. In some families, more than one life has been lost. The devastation is immense.

It remains clear that the government-led and partner supported response must continue to scale up and out across all affected areas as well as those at risk.

But there are encouraging signs of progress:
-Close to 2700 people have recovered so far and over 1000 are currently receiving clinical care;
-Science, collaboration and communities are offering new vaccine and treatment candidates to prevent and treat Ebola caused by the Bundibugyo virus.
@WHO
is working with partners on several clinical trials currently underway;
-Capacity to provide optimised clinical care to Ebola patients by protected health workers has expanded to over 2100 beds across 109 Ebola transit and treatment centres;
-Engagement of private health service providers, traditional healers and community leaders into the response is opening up new opportunities to detect patients early;
-With the outbreak spreading to hard to reach and conflict affected areas, we are expanding our operations through rapid response teams who can reach communities where they are.

These efforts and progress give us more than hope, the outbreak can and will be brought under control and ended. We call for continued global solidarity and support to sustain the response. We will not let up.

9:49 AM · Oct 28, 2026

 

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Translation Google

Ebola in the DRC: the epidemic leaves thousands of children orphaned in the east of the country

Six months after the start of the worst Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo, the health crisis remains uncontrolled. More than 8,000 orphans have been identified by social services in Ituri province, the epicenter of the epidemic.

By Sophie Douce • Published on Wednesday, October 28, 2026 at 07:14

The current Ebola outbreak was officially declared by the Democratic Republic of Congo nearly six months ago, on May 15. More than 10,000 cases have been recorded in Africa, the vast majority in the DRC, with over 4,000 deaths in Bunia, the epicenter of the outbreak. The virus has decimated entire families; at least 1,900 children have been orphaned or are now living apart from their parents, hospitalized in treatment centers, according to UNICEF.

Nannies who take turns day and night

Under a tent set up by aid workers, a nanny cradles a two-month-old baby in her arms. The infant looks at her; the young woman is wearing a gown and latex gloves. Naïma Loka has tears in her eyes: " It's as if his mother is playing with him. He will grow up surrounded by love. He won't feel like he's been separated from his mother ."

His mother is hospitalized a few meters away in a room reserved for Ebola patients. In this emergency nursery supported by UNICEF, caregivers take turns day and night to look after her baby, hoping she will recover: " At first, he cried a lot. Often, when children arrive here, they are scared at first. We wash them, make them sleep, and play with them ."

At 23, Naïma Nialokha is one of the few who can take care of the children of the sick. This medical student survived Ebola; she was infected during a hospital internship: " It hurts a lot, actually, to see your friends, your colleagues leave like that, and it's also traumatic. My sister, my older brother too, I lost 4 people in my family, I know why. I volunteered to come and help the children ."

Nearby, motorcycles transporting patients stream into the hospital. In Bunia, one of the cities hardest hit by the epidemic, many children have lost their families and are now orphans. " They often ask about their parents. Why did Ebola take my mother? Why does this disease continue to kill people? Why, why? They keep asking themselves so many questions. We talk with them, we discuss things with them. We seem to know that one day you will be reunited with your mother in paradise, and that will be wonderful ."

More than 8,000 orphans have been identified.

More than 8,000 orphans have been registered by social services in Ituri province, the epicenter of the epidemic. At the hospital in Mongbwalu, a small mining town where the outbreak began, workers in protective suits load a small coffin into the back of a car. Children account for nearly one in three deaths. Next to the morgue, a little girl and three boys sit behind a red barrier. They play amidst stuffed animals disinfected with chlorine. They are kept here for 21 days under observation. Sylvie Gaboussi, the social worker, seems worried: " The children came here with their grandmother. Unfortunately, we just learned that the grandmother has passed away, she has died, and their maternal aunt too ."

In Mongbwalu, entire houses were emptied of their inhabitants. Hundreds of children found refuge with neighbors, pastors, and foster families. Marie-Thérèse Tsécy, a 63-year-old nurse, agreed to make some room in her mud-brick house to take in five orphans: " They were wandering the streets, they even showed signs of malnutrition. I felt sorry for them, I promised to take care of them. I tell them to keep hope. As long as they keep hope, they cannot die ."

Holding on despite the fear and the growing number of victims. In Mongbwalu, a city ravaged by six months of epidemic, the inhabitants have only one wish: to put an end to Ebola.

Ebola en RDC : l'épidémie laisse des milliers d'enfants orphelins dans l'est du pays

Six mois après le début de la pire épidémie d'Ebola en République démocratique du Congo, la crise sanitaire reste incontrôlée. Plus de 8 000 orphelins ont été recensés par les services sociaux dans la province de l'Ituri, l'épicentre de l'épidémie.

www.radiofrance.fr

 

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Translation Google​

North Kivu: New rapid response teams are preparing to strengthen the response against the Bundibugyo virus disease​

October 28, 2026|Reporting|Reading time: 5 min

North Kivu: New rapid response teams are preparing to strengthen the response against the Bundibugyo virus disease
More photos...

Beni, Democratic Republic of Congo, October 28, 2026 – Under the trees and in the studious atmosphere of an open-air training space in Beni, 48 healthcare professionals have just reached a crucial milestone. For three days, epidemiologists, clinicians, nurses, prevention specialists, and logisticians worked side-by-side to prepare for a common mission: to intervene quickly and effectively in the face of the Bundibugyo virus disease.

Following this intensive training, two new Rapid Intervention Teams (RITs) have been formed. Ready to be deployed as needed, they will boost the operational capacity of the response in the most affected and remote areas of North Kivu, while ensuring the continuity of essential health services.

On the final day, a full-scale simulation exercise immerses participants in the real-life conditions of a health emergency. Coordination, investigation, patient care, and community engagement: each stage of the intervention is put to the test.

This increased agility and speed comes as the province continues to face a worrying situation. As of October 25, more than 2,309 confirmed cases and 1,293 deaths (case fatality rate: 56%) had been recorded in North Kivu. After several weeks of slowing, a resurgence of cases has been observed, fueled in particular by imported cases along the North-South corridor. The health zones of Beni, Katwa, Butembo, and Alimbongo remain particularly vulnerable.

Dr. John Otshudiema, WHO Response Coordinator in North Kivu, points out that the response does not rely solely on medical resources.

“Trust is as important as medicine. By equipping North Kivu with two additional rapid response teams, we are strengthening our ability to act quickly in the communities that need it most.”

Because beyond technical expertise, these teams will also have the mission of strengthening dialogue with the populations.

“Training, simulation, and certification are not simply academic exercises,” emphasizes Dr. Catherine Smallwood, WHO Incident Manager for the
Bundibugyo Virus Disease Outbreak Response in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. “They ensure that deployed teams can provide a rapid, coordinated, and high-quality response when every minute counts.”

On the ground, the new responders will be called upon to listen as much as to act. Informing, addressing concerns, supporting families, and facilitating access to care are essential components of the response.

Guy Mwaka, a nurse trained during this session, sees this mission as an opportunity to permanently restore trust between communities and health services. "We want communities to welcome us with confidence and no longer be afraid to seek medical care."

Beyond the immediate response to the epidemic, this effort contributes to making national capacities for preparedness and response to health emergencies more robust in the long term, led by health authorities with the support of several partners, including WHO, UNICEF, UNFPA, OCHA, Africa CDC and International Medical Corps.

For Dr. Justus Nsio, Incident Manager for Africa CDC in the DRC, the most lasting legacy of this initiative will not only be measured in lives saved today, but in the DRC's ability to deal with tomorrow's health crises with its own expertise and resources.

As the fight against the epidemic continues in North Kivu and other affected provinces, these new teams represent more than just operational reinforcement. They embody an investment in local skills, preparedness for health emergencies, and trust between communities and the health system.

In the response to the Bundibugyo virus, rapid access to care saves lives. But on the ground, trust often remains the first step towards recovery.

Nord-Kivu : de nouvelles équipes d’intervention rapide se préparent à renforcer la riposte contre la maladie à virus Bundibugyo

Beni, République démocratique du Congo - Sous les arbres et dans l’atmosphère studieuse d’un espace de formation en plein air à Beni, 48 professionnels de santé viennent de franchir une étape décisive. Pendant trois jours, épidémiologistes, cliniciens, infirmiers, spécialistes de la prévention...

www.afro.who.int