DRC Ebola Outbreak Toll Rises to 1,960 Dead, 4,294 Cases Confirmed

The Government of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) announced an updated toll for the ongoing Ebola outbreak on August 10, 2026, reporting 1,960 deaths and 4,294 confirmed cases. These figures, compiled as of August 8, indicate a fatality rate of 45.6%.

Currently, 722 patients are in isolation or hospitalized, while 849 individuals have recovered. The contact tracing rate stands at 84.6%. The virus transmission continues to be active in five Congolese provinces: Ituri, which is the epicenter, North Kivu, Haut-Uélé in the east, and Tshopo in the north-central region. Notably, South Kivu has recorded no new confirmed cases for 73 days.

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The current epidemic is already the second outbreak with the most recorded infections in history and the largest in terms of infections in the DRC.

This current epidemic ranks as the second-deadliest Ebola outbreak in history and the largest within the DRC. It surpasses the outbreak in the same region between 2018 and 2020, which resulted in 2,299 deaths and 3,481 cases. The World Health Organization (WHO) notes that this is the 17th Ebola epidemic in the DRC and is characterized by the fastest spread of infections compared to any previous outbreak since its declaration.

However, the epidemic is still far from the most severe in history, which occurred in West Africa between 2014 and 2016, causing approximately 11,000 deaths and 28,000 infections. The virus has spread to neighboring Uganda, which declared itself Ebola-free on July 28 after registering 20 cases, 15 of which were considered imported from the DRC, resulting in two deaths. The current outbreak involves the Bundibugyo strain, which has a fatality rate between 30% and 50% and for which no authorized vaccine or specific treatment exists, according to the WHO.

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The current epidemic is characterized by the fastest spread of infections compared to any other outbreak since its declaration.