DR Congo Ebola Cases Reach 837 as Africa CDC Warns Outbreak Could Top 11,000 Deaths
Updated
Updated · Al Jazeera English · Jun 16
DR Congo Ebola Cases Reach 837 as Africa CDC Warns Outbreak Could Top 11,000 Deaths
3 articles · Updated · Al Jazeera English · Jun 16
Summary
837 confirmed Ebola cases and 196 deaths have now been recorded in DR Congo, with Africa CDC warning the outbreak could surpass the deadliest epidemic on record if it is not contained soon.
26,000 exposed people remain untraced, Jean Kaseya said, leaving authorities unsure where they are or whether they are infecting others.
Response efforts are being slowed by too few treatment centres, resistance to hygiene rules and unsafe traditional burials, while Red Cross officials say the epidemic has not yet peaked and could last a year.
Less than one-fifth of the $518 million sought for containment has been raised, and there is no approved treatment or vaccine for this Ebola strain; WHO says a vaccine could take up to nine months.
Uganda has already logged 19 cases linked to travel from DR Congo, including two deaths, underscoring the regional risk if the outbreak keeps spreading.
As untraced Ebola cases surge, is the global health response fast enough to avert disaster?
With no licensed vaccine for this Ebola strain, can contact tracing alone stop a catastrophic outbreak?
Over 500 Bundibugyo Ebola Cases in DRC: Escalating Crisis Amid Funding Shortfalls and Global Health Gaps
Overview
The Bundibugyo virus disease (BVD) outbreak is rapidly escalating in June 2026, with the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) reporting 515 confirmed cases and 91 deaths, and Uganda also affected by 19 cases. The alarming rise in case numbers and the spread across borders highlight a growing regional crisis. The World Health Organization is intensifying diagnostic testing and contact surveillance to track and contain the virus, but the situation remains urgent. Cross-border transmission is a major concern, making coordinated international response and robust surveillance essential to control the outbreak and prevent further spread.