Ebola in DR Congo crosses 10,000 confirmed cases
Why in the news
Confirmed Ebola cases in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) crossed 10,000, according to government data released on 27 October 2026, raising concern about wider spread in Africa.
Key facts
- Toll: 10,060 confirmed cases and 4,887 deaths, as per the latest situation report of Congo’s public health institute.
- Strain: The rare Bundibugyo species of Ebola virus.
- Timeline: The outbreak was declared in mid-May 2026.
- Scale: Congo’s largest and deadliest outbreak, overtaking the 2018-2020 epidemic; second-largest globally after the 2014-2016 West Africa outbreak.
- Spread: Kenya reported its first case in October and now has nine; Nigeria reported a case, becoming the fourth African country to do so.
- Uganda recorded 20 cases in May-June, mostly imported, and was declared Ebola-free by WHO in August.
| Outbreak | Cases | Deaths |
|---|---|---|
| DR Congo, 2026 (Bundibugyo) | 10,060 | 4,887 |
| West Africa, 2014-2016 | Over 28,600 | Over 11,000 |
About the West Africa outbreak
The 2014-2016 epidemic, the largest on record, mainly hit Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone, infecting over 28,600 people and killing more than 11,000.
Exam angle
- Ebola is a viral disease; the current DRC outbreak is due to the Bundibugyo species.
- Kenya’s first case, a traveller from Congo via Uganda, died in Nairobi.
- Uganda requires citizens returning from Congo to quarantine for 21 days.