Bundibugyo Ebola outbreak passes 10 000 confirmed cases in DRC

Health authorities in the Democratic Republic of the Congo recorded 10 060 confirmed Bundibugyo Ebola cases and 4 887 confirmed deaths through October 25, 2026. A government report, published on October 26, also showed contact monitoring below the response target, with data available from five provinces. The report recorded 96 newly notified cases and 46 deaths as of October 25, including 40 community deaths and six in treatment centers. It listed 2 684 recoveries and a cumulative case-fatality ratio of 48.6%. Ituri remained the epicenter, with 7 211 cases and 3 370 deaths. Nord Kivu had 2 309 cases and 1 293 deaths, Haut-Uélé 436 cases and 190 deaths, and Tshopo 83 cases and 27 deaths. The other affected provinces were Bas-Uélé, Sud Kivu, Sud-Ubangi and Nord-Ubangi. Distribution of cumulative confirmed cases of Bundibugyo virus disease in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, as of October 20, 2026. Credit: WHO Contact monitoring remained below the 95% response target. Across the five provinces submitting contact-follow-up data for October 25, teams saw 16 205 of 19 853 listed contacts during the preceding 24 hours, a rate of 81.6%. This was not a complete measure for every affected province. The government report said that attacks and threats against response teams, including the killing of a nurse, had prevented Bafwasende health zone in Tshopo from submitting data. The World Health Organization (WHO) described transmission as sustained and high-level in its October 23 assessment. Its data through October 20 showed that 50 of 66 affected health zones had reported at least one new case during the preceding 21 days; the other 16 had reported no recent cases. Number of confirmed Bundibugyo virus disease cases in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, , as of October 20, 2026. Credit: WHO Number of deaths among confirmed Bundibugyo virus disease cases in the Democratic Republic of the Congo , as of October 20, 2026. Credit: WHO In Kenya, WHO reported nine confirmed cases and two deaths as of October 26. All nine belonged to one connected cluster, with no evidence of wider community transmission. Twenty contacts were released from quarantine after completing 21 days without symptoms, while 98 remained in quarantine. Nigeria confirmed its imported case in Abuja on October 20. The Nigeria Center for Disease Control and Prevention listed 53 contacts in its October 24 situation report, replacing the earlier count of 44. Number of confirmed Bundibugyo virus disease cases in Kenya, , as of October 21, 2026. Credit: WHO Swiss authorities said the patient was evacuated from Nigeria to Geneva on October 26 and was in stable condition. Her husband was isolated in Zurich as a close contact. He was not reported as a second confirmed case. Investigations into the patient’s source of infection continued.