WHO: Ebola outbreak in DRC records 8,728 cases, 4,205 deaths

The World Health Organisation (WHO) says the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) has recorded 8,728 confirmed cases of Bundibugyo virus disease (BVD), including 4,205 confirmed deaths, as of Oct. 6, 2026.

The organisation said in a statement on Thursday that the figures represented a crude case fatality ratio (CFR) of 48.2 per cent, with the outbreak spreading to 64 health zones across seven of the country’s 26 provinces.

“The affected provinces are Bas-Uélé, Haut-Uélé, Ituri, North Kivu, South Kivu, Sud Ubangi and Tshopo,” it said.

WHO said the outbreak had expanded to Alimbongo health zone in North Kivu since its last disease outbreak news report published on Sept. 25.

It said the development had increased the geographic footprint of an outbreak that remained concentrated in the eastern part of the country.

The global health body said transmission remained intense nationally, although the burden was unevenly distributed across affected areas.

According to WHO, some areas are showing clear signs that the epidemic was slowing down, while transmission continued to increase in others.

“Over the past three completed epidemiological weeks, new weekly cases nationwide increased by 2.5 per cent, from 475 to 487 cases,” it said.

WHO said new weekly deaths remained relatively stable, with 224 deaths recorded compared with 222 in the preceding period.

It said the persistently high mortality, coupled with the large number of deaths occurring outside treatment centres, continued to indicate delays in identifying cases and accessing appropriate care.

“Since the previous disease outbreak news, 372 deaths were reported, with 264 occurring in communities and 108 in treatment centres,” it said.

WHO said the high proportion of community deaths remained a concern because it could indicate that patients were reaching health facilities late or not accessing treatment centres at all.

Meanwhile, the statement said that Kenya had recorded a laboratory-confirmed imported case of Bundibugyo virus disease involving a patient with a travel history from the DRC.

WHO said it was informed on Oct. 5 about the confirmed imported case in Kenya after the patient travelled from the DRC through Uganda.

The patient was hospitalised and treated in Kenya but subsequently died on Oct. 5.

Public health response measures, including contact tracing, have been initiated in Kenya and Uganda following the imported case.

The development has raised concerns about the potential cross-border spread of the virus, given the movement of people between the affected areas of the DRC, Uganda and Kenya.

WHO also reported that the Netherlands on Oct. 1 announced the medical evacuation of a healthcare worker who tested positive by PCR for Bundibugyo virus in the DRC.

“The healthcare worker was evacuated to the Netherlands and, at the time of the report, was receiving treatment there,” it said.

WHO said the DRC outbreak continued to require sustained response measures, particularly in areas where transmission remained high and deaths were occurring within communities.