WHO Says DR Congo Ebola Cases Are 2-4 Times 1,963 Official Tally, With 719 Dead
Updated
Updated · Al Jazeera English · Jul 14
WHO Says DR Congo Ebola Cases Are 2-4 Times 1,963 Official Tally, With 719 Dead
3 articles · Updated · Al Jazeera English · Jul 14
Summary
WHO said modelling suggests DR Congo’s Ebola outbreak is at least two to four times larger than the 1,963 confirmed cases, with many deaths happening at home rather than in treatment centres.
727 patients were in Ebola treatment centres as of July 12, but the Bundibugyo strain is spreading across five eastern provinces without an approved vaccine or treatment.
Rwampara health workers in hard-hit Ituri threatened a total strike after a 48-hour ultimatum over two months of unpaid salaries, briefly blocking access to the treatment centre.
112 healthcare workers have been infected and 35 have died, underscoring the strain on the response as Congo’s 17th Ebola epidemic spills into Uganda with 20 cases and two deaths.
$1.5 billion has been mobilised for the response, while clinical trials of two treatments are under way against what experts call Africa’s fastest-growing recorded Ebola outbreak.
With Ebola crossing borders and a US citizen infected, are current travel screenings enough to prevent a global spread?
With 80% of new cases untraced, is Congo’s Ebola outbreak already an uncontrollable epidemic?
As a 'crisis of trust' fuels Ebola's spread, can new drug trials offer hope where human connection has failed?
2026 Bundibugyo Ebola Crisis: Surging Infections, Healthcare Worker Risks, and Regional Instability in DRC and Uganda
Overview
The Bundibugyo Ebola virus disease outbreak is a growing public health crisis in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and Uganda, with a sharp rise in cases and deaths reported as of July 13, 2026. The World Health Organization highlights ongoing efforts to contain the virus, but the situation is worsening, with 53 new confirmed cases and 39 deaths in the DRC since the last report. Overall, there has been an increase of 134 confirmed cases and 77 deaths since the ECDC's recent update, showing persistent transmission and expanding geographic spread. This underscores the urgent need for stronger response measures.