The Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo has surpassed 5,000 deaths, driven by the Bundibugyo virus strain that has spread across eight provinces and multiple borders. As of November 3, 2026, officials reported 10,668 confirmed cases and 5,198 deaths, according to the World Health Organization (WHO).
Virus spreads through Ituri and North Kivu
Ituri remains the epicenter of the epidemic, accounting for 69.8% of cumulative confirmed cases and 45.2% of newly reported cases. In North Kivu, the case fatality rate has reached 54.6%, exceeding the national average, while the province accounts for 51.6% of new cases.
The outbreak has affected 67 of the country’s 178 health zones. Active transmission continues in 51 of these zones across eight provinces: Ituri, North Kivu, Haut-Uélé, Tshopo, South Kivu, Bas-Uélé, South Ubangi, and North Ubangi.
Violence in eastern #DRC is costing lives and undermining the #Ebola response. -In Beni, @WHO is deeply concerned about the attack on an Ebola Treatment Centre on 6 November. Police prevented an attempt to set the facility on fire. -In Mabalako health zone, reported attacks by an… pic.twitter.com/ybKvZmYp11
Patrick Otim noted the human cost of the rising figures.
It is a very tragic milestone because it is just not a number,
Otim said. It is families and communities that have been devastated by this outbreak. The number also shows the severity of this outbreak.
Welcome to @WHO, @FCDOGovUK State Minister @kirstyjmcneill. My team and I briefed the Minister on the latest #Ebola outbreak developments in the #DRC, ongoing challenges to bring it under control, including insecurity, and actions taken by partners in the government-led… pic.twitter.com/qa5IadN2AZ
Contact tracing fails to meet thresholds
Approximately 80 percent of new cases are emerging from outside monitored contacts, according to the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC). This suggests many infections occur through unknown chains of transmission.
The average proportion of contacts seen daily over the previous 14-day period was 86% as of November 3, 2026, falling short of the required 95.0% threshold.
We thank @TheElders for standing with Africa. Ebola is not only Africa's problem, and the window to stop it is closing. The Bundibugyo strain has caused more than 10,600 reported cases since May, and one in two people infected has died. $3 billion has been pledged, and only $1… pic.twitter.com/pwvgbzX3IS
One-third of recorded deaths occurred in communities before patients could be tested or receive care, Audacy reported. The WHO attributed this to difficulties in early case detection and timely access to care, particularly for young children.
In the Ituri province, health workers at an Ebola treatment center in Tchomia recently downed tools to demand four months of unpaid wages. The center is currently treating five confirmed Ebola patients and 10 suspected cases. Workers stated they are tired of requesting salaries and that feeding their families has become a problem.
Bundibugyo strain crosses international borders
The Bundibugyo strain has reached Uganda, Kenya, and Nigeria. While Uganda was declared Ebola-free in August after recording 20 cases, Kenya has reported nine confirmed cases and two deaths.
No new cases have been reported in Kenya or Nigeria since late October, according to the WHO. In Nigeria, two rounds of testing on two suspected cases in the northeast region returned negative results. Abuja reported its first imported case in October, marking the first in more than a decade, with no recorded deaths.
Ministry of Health Statement on the Confirmed Imported Case of Bundibugyo Ebola Virus Disease | 6 October 2026 pic.twitter.com/DRLSyXAZYR
The United States has implemented new travel requirements. As of late November 3, 2026, all passengers on international flights to the United States must attest that they have not been in the Democratic Republic of the Congo within the preceding 21 days. The CDC stated that while no U.S. cases linked to this outbreak have been reported, the overall risk to the American public and travelers remains low.
This epidemic is the largest Ebola outbreak in the history of the Democratic Republic of the Congo and the second-largest globally, following the 2013–2016 West African outbreak which killed approximately 11,000 people. This current Bundibugyo outbreak is the second deadliest on record.
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There is currently no licensed vaccine or approved treatment specifically targeting the Bundibugyo strain. WHO experts have recommended adding two new Bundibugyo-specific vaccine candidates to the ongoing clinical trial in the DRC: ChAdOx1 BDBV and Moderna’s mRNA-1469. The trial is being led by the DRC’s National Institute for Biomedical Research.
Earlier coverage: Democratic Republic of Congo Records 10,000 Ebola Cases
Isolate the virus, not countries. Kenya acted swiftly and transparently to contain its first imported Ebola case; tracing every contact and stopping the spread. Yet, instead of support, it faced a travel ban. This sends a dangerous message: if countries are punished for honest… pic.twitter.com/qAH2F0F1Lw
More on Ebola outbreak
The Bundibugyo virus disease outbreak in the #DRC is intensifying, with sustained transmission, rising cases and deaths, and expanding geographic spread. This is now the largest #Ebola outbreak ever reported in the country. As of 30 July 2026: ▶️3605 confirmed cases and 1587… pic.twitter.com/NdXIJ7uDGe
In eastern DRC, Ebola is spreading in communities already facing insecurity and fragile healthcare systems. Red Cross volunteers are going door to door, sharing lifesaving information, countering misinformation, and building the trust needed to contain the outbreak. In just one… pic.twitter.com/lmJNP0gdIc