According to the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC Ministry of Health (MOH), 4,053 confirmed Ebola cases across 53 health zones in five provinces have been reported as of August 5, 2026.
The two newly affected zones are: Gombari (Haut-Uélé) and Bafwasende (Tshopo). Ituri remains the primary epicenter, accounting for 86.9% of cumulative cases.
Other key numbers include 1,850 deaths (45.7% fatality rate), 793 recoveries, 694 patients in isolation or hospitalized, and contact tracing progress at 77.7%, supported by 1,158 alerts investigated in 24 hours.
Ebola Bundibugyo outbreak in Africa
Response efforts focus on enhanced surveillance, treatment centers, community engagement, and a free hotline (151) for suspected cases, with visuals showing geographic spread and operational improvements.
The current, ongoing outbreak in the DRC is the 2nd largest on record. Here are the top 3 largest Ebola outbreaks:
2014–2016 West Africa Outbreak:
Cases: ~28,616
Deaths: ~11,325
Location: Primarily Guinea, Liberia, and Sierra Leone
Strain: Ebola virus (Zaire ebolavirus)
2026 DRC Outbreak:
Cases: Over 4,000 (ongoing)
Deaths: ~1,850+
Location: Democratic Republic of the Congo (concentrated in Ituri province)
Strain: Bundibugyo virus
2018–2020 Kivu Outbreak (DRC):
Cases: 3,470
Deaths: 2,287
Location: Democratic Republic of the Congo
Strain: Ebola virus (Zaire ebolavirus)
The current outbreak which began on May 15 is the 17th Ebola disease outbreak reported in DRC.
Doctors Without Borders (MSF), in a press release published on Wednesday, August 5, 2026, warned of the “alarming” spread of the Ebola epidemic in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo. Two months after its initial declaration, the organization stated that the disease continues to spread at an alarming and unprecedented rate, despite the tireless efforts of medical teams mobilized on the front lines to try to contain the outbreak.
MSF points out that this death toll is significantly higher than during previous epidemics over a comparable period. For comparison, the devastating 2014 Ebola epidemic in West Africa caused 279 deaths during the same timeframe.
The epidemic shows no signs of slowing down. New suspected cases are being reported almost daily in new locations, outside of the already identified chains of transmission.
The statement explains that, to avoid further loss of life, the response must be accelerated to outpace the current rate of transmission. The international medical response must be strengthened without delay, as many critical gaps remain. While progress has been made in testing and contact tracing, these efforts are still insufficient to contain the epidemic.
According to MSF, 90% of patients admitted to Ebola Treatment Centers (ETCs) were not previously monitored contacts. Furthermore, across Ituri province, only 59% of contacts have been traced. Therefore, strengthening collaboration with communities is urgently needed. An effective response can only be achieved if it is developed with and led by local stakeholders.
Without communities at the heart of the response, surveillance and contact tracing will continue to miss some cases. Greater involvement of community members is therefore essential to ensure early case detection and rigorous monitoring.
The statement also specifies that this epidemic is exacerbating an already existing humanitarian crisis. Malaria, measles, cholera, malnutrition, and other preventable but treatable diseases continue to cause severe illness and death. It is therefore equally crucial to support health facilities so they can maintain the provision of essential medical services throughout the Ebola response and thus help protect healthcare workers.
Finally, MSF stresses that strengthening epidemiological surveillance, improving community engagement and ensuring safe access for humanitarian personnel are absolute priorities.
Although the response is gradually intensifying, it is still not reaching communities quickly enough to break the chains of transmission.