The Ebola outbreak in Congo has grown to 8,728 confirmed cases of Bundibugyo virus disease, the World Health Organization reported in figures released as of October 6, 2026, with 4,205 deaths — a case fatality rate of roughly 48 percent.
The outbreak now spans 64 health zones across 7 of Congo’s 26 provinces, with Ituri province the worst hit. The scale of the crisis has placed enormous strain on local health systems, and international health agencies are closely tracking its spread.
There is no licensed vaccine for the Bundibugyo strain of the virus, a gap that has made containment harder. Hope is pinned on an experimental antiviral, obeldesivir, which is now in trial in Ituri. More than 250 patients have been enrolled in the study, which is targeting roughly 1,000 participants.
The outbreak has also crossed borders in concern if not yet in spread. On October 6, Kenya announced its first imported case — a traveler from the Democratic Republic of Congo who arrived via Uganda and died in Nairobi. Kenyan authorities said 28 contacts had been quarantined as a precaution.
Travelers recently in Congo are temporarily barred from boarding commercial flights to the United States, according to reports, reflecting the seriousness with which authorities are treating the risk. The WHO assesses the risk as very high within Congo, high for bordering countries, and low globally.
Health officials continue to urge vigilance and rapid reporting of symptoms in affected regions, as the fight to bring the outbreak under control enters a critical phase.
