Six months after the Ebola outbreak was declared in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the virus has infected more than 11,000 people and killed 5,433, according to government data.
The epidemic, driven by the Bundibugyo virus, stands as the largest in the nation’s history and the second-largest global outbreak ever recorded. With a case fatality rate of 48.9 percent, health officials warn that transmission remains intense in eastern conflict zones despite falling infection numbers in initial epicentres like Bunia.
The outbreak has expanded across eight provinces and approximately 68 health zones. While early epicentres such as Mongbwalu, Nyankunde, Nizi, Rwampara, and Butembo were brought under control with rapid transmission halted, the virus continues to spread into remote rural communities and urban locations.
According to the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC), more than 5,400 people have died in total, and government figures recorded 11,114 confirmed cases by November 10. Women and girls account for more than 53 percent of confirmed cases.
Medical humanitarian organizations argue that the crisis is far from contained. Anna Halford, emergency co-ordinator for Doctors Without Borders, said that most incidents were “surprise cases”, showing that contact tracing was not keeping track of the virus.
In Isiro, Haut-Uélé province, DRC, community-based surveillance and rapid mobilisation of health teams serve as a first line of defence against #Ebola. With support from @WHO and partners, these efforts are strengthening early detection and timely response to suspected cases. pic.twitter.com/bFKncOt9QK
Contact tracing remains well below government targets. Dr Javid Abdelmoneim, international president for Doctors Without Borders, criticized the administrative and operational hurdles hampering medical workers on the ground, according to Health Policy Watch.
Although we have received huge amounts of funds to fight this outbreak, many of those at the forefront of the response are left feeling helpless, doing all they can to contain this epidemic empty-handed and empty-pocketed. Dr Abdelmoneim
Medical epidemiologist Wessam Mankoula with the Africa CDC said diagnostic testing capacity has expanded, allowing authorities to process more than 4,300 samples per day compared to dozens at the start of the response. Treatment centers possess 2,000 beds for patient admission, and more than 3,000 people have recovered from the disease. However, Mankoula emphasized that increased testing and bed capacity alone are insufficient to control the epidemic while surveillance challenges persist.
Special Briefing on Ebola Outbreak Response | Nov. 12 2026 https://t.co/hzU3LI8A4v
“Violence restricts our access to people in need of help,” said Chikwe Ihekweazu, head of the Health Emergencies Programme, as reported by CBC. “It disrupts surveillance, it disrupts treatment and forces people to move, disrupting their access to care.”
Armed conflict across North Kivu and Ituri provinces presents the single greatest barrier to containment. The World Health Organization has verified 81 attacks on healthcare infrastructure since the declaration in May.
“Insecurity remains one of the greatest obstacles to the response,” said the World Health Organization.
UN Senior Ebola Response Coordinator Julien Harneis said that violence by the Allied Democratic Forces has recently claimed more lives in the region than the virus itself. WHO Director-General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus briefed heads of state on the incident, noting that three Ebola patients and 1,000 contacts fled following the assault.
Conflict and insecurity are making it harder for health teams to reach communities affected by the #Ebola outbreak in the DRC. Six months into the outbreak, most early epicentres have been brought under control. Yet the outbreak is expanding geographically, particularly in areas…
Children bear a heavy toll in the epidemic. An assessment published in November recorded 2,959 confirmed infections and 1,737 deaths among individuals under 18 years of age by November 4.
Minors under 18 account for 28 per cent of cases and 35 per cent of deaths. Children under five represent 14 per cent of cases and 21 per cent of deaths, with a fatality rate reaching 72 per cent within that youngest demographic. Approximately 80 per cent of deaths among children occurred outside treatment centres, and one in three children under five admitted to a centre died within 24 hours.
“Six months into the response, this situation is simply unacceptable,” said Médecins Sans Frontières.
Earlier coverage: DR Congo Ebola Cases Surpass 11,000 in Massive Outbreak