Sunday 13 / September / 2026
Kinshasa: Authorities in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) say Ebola infections have surpassed 7,000, marking the country's worst outbreak on record, with deaths approaching 3,400.
The outbreak — the 17th in the DRC — was officially declared in mid‑May, weeks after the virus began spreading in Ituri province in northeastern Congo before reaching other areas that lack basic health infrastructure and are plagued by armed conflict.
According to the latest data, 7,022 cases and 3,398 deaths have been recorded, while 1,671 people have recovered. The disease has now been confirmed in South Ubangi province, the seventh province to report infections.
Most cases are concentrated in Ituri, where infections were detected in schools after the summer holidays, alarming parents and health workers. Schools have introduced measures to curb transmission, including handwashing and awareness campaigns urging students to avoid handshakes and close contact.
Ebola has killed more than 15,000 people in Africa over the past five decades. It spreads through contact with bodily fluids and can cause severe bleeding and organ failure. The current outbreak is driven by the Bundibugyo strain, for which no vaccine or approved treatment exists.
