DR Congo Ebola outbreak reaches 1,224 confirmed cases and 323 deaths

This marks the 17th outbreak recorded in the country. The current epidemic, caused by the Bundibugyo strain of the Ebola virus, was officially declared on May 15, 2026, simultaneously in the DRC and Uganda, following laboratory confirmation of cases in northeastern Congo and Kampala, Uganda's capital. Initially concentrated in northeastern DRC, the epidemic has since spread to two additional provinces, North Kivu and South Kivu.

In Uganda, cases remain localized to Kampala. On June 22, the Congolese Ministry of Health had already confirmed over 1,000 cases, making this the third largest epidemic ever recorded in the country in terms of cumulative cases. In response, on May 17, 2026, the World Health Organization WHO classified this outbreak as a public health emergency of international concern, highlighting the risk of regional spread.

Currently, one case of Ebola has been confirmed in France, involving a professional returning from a humanitarian mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo, who is under specialized medical care.