Bunia, DR Congo — June 17, 2026
The Ebola outbreak sweeping through the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) is escalating at an alarming pace, prompting the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) to warn that it could become the worst in recorded history if urgent action is not taken.
Health officials report that thousands of potential contacts remain untraced in North Kivu, South Kivu, and Ituri provinces, where the Bundibugyo strain of the virus—one with no approved vaccine or treatment—is driving rapid transmission. Current figures indicate at least 827 cases and 194 deaths, though experts caution that the true numbers may be significantly higher due to gaps in surveillance.
Africa CDC Director-General Dr Jean Kaseya warned regional leaders that failure to contain the outbreak swiftly could result in a crisis surpassing the devastating 2014–2016 West Africa epidemic, which killed more than 11,000 people.
The situation is further complicated by the virus’s spread into conflict-affected zones and highly mobile mining corridors, increasing the risk of regional dissemination. Weak contact tracing, delayed detection, and limited diagnostic capacity have hindered containment efforts.
International agencies are mobilising resources. The Africa CDC has urged member states to strengthen border exit screenings while avoiding travel bans, emphasising that preparedness—not restriction—is key to preventing cross-border spread. Meanwhile, the U.S. Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (US CDC) has warned that without strong public health interventions, the outbreak could exceed 20,000 cases within months.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) and Africa CDC have jointly declared the outbreak a Public Health Emergency of International Concern, underscoring the severity of the threat and the need for a coordinated global response.
As health workers race to expand treatment centres, improve surveillance, and strengthen community engagement, experts stress that time is running out. Without rapid, large-scale intervention, the DRC may soon face the deadliest Ebola outbreak in history.
