Africa CDC Declares DR Congo Ebola Outbreak With 246 Cases and 65 Deaths
Updated
Updated · BBC.com · May 15
Africa CDC Declares DR Congo Ebola Outbreak With 246 Cases and 65 Deaths
17 articles · Updated · BBC.com · May 15
246 suspected cases and 65 deaths have been recorded in DR Congo's Ituri province, where Africa CDC said Ebola is concentrated in the gold-mining towns of Mongwalu and Rwampara.
13 of 20 samples tested in Kinshasa were positive for Ebola, while additional suspected cases in the provincial capital Bunia were still awaiting laboratory confirmation.
Africa CDC said it was convening DR Congo, Uganda, South Sudan and other partners to coordinate response efforts and tighten cross-border surveillance as the Congolese government had yet to issue its own formal declaration.
The outbreak is Congo's 17th since 1976; the country's deadliest epidemic killed nearly 2,300 people in 2018-2020, and 45 died in a Kasai outbreak last year.
After 17 outbreaks, what is preventing the Democratic Republic of Congo from breaking its recurring Ebola cycle?
With a new, unidentified Ebola strain detected, are the world's current vaccines enough to stop its spread?
DRC’s 17th Ebola Outbreak (2026): Logistical Hurdles, Regional Threats, and the Path to Resilience
Overview
The Democratic Republic of Congo is facing its 17th confirmed Ebola outbreak as of May 2026, with response efforts hampered by significant operational challenges. The country’s vast size leads to substantial logistical hurdles, which are made worse by limited access to affected regions and scarce funding. These persistent issues have previously hindered vaccine delivery and are likely to impede the rapid deployment of resources and personnel needed to contain the outbreak. As a result, the combination of logistical difficulties and funding shortages threatens to slow down effective outbreak control and increase the risk of further spread.