**Title: DR Congo's Worst Ebola Epidemic Surpasses 7,000 Cases**
**Published: September 12, 2026**
The Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) is grappling with its most severe Ebola outbreak to date, with over 7,000 confirmed cases reported since the epidemic began earlier this year. The outbreak, which is attributed to the Bundibugyo virus, has resulted in 3,398 fatalities, according to the latest figures from Congolese health authorities.
The DRC officially reported the outbreak in mid-May 2026, although experts believe the virus may have been circulating undetected for several weeks prior to that announcement. The outbreak is the 17th recorded Ebola epidemic in the DRC, with the initial cases emerging from the northeastern Ituri province.
As the epidemic progresses, the virus has spread to various conflict-affected regions in the eastern and northern parts of the country. These areas are characterized by weak state presence and inadequate health infrastructure, complicating efforts to contain the disease. Recently, health officials confirmed a case in South-Ubangi, marking the detection of Ebola in a seventh province. South-Ubangi is located in the northwest of the DRC, bordering the Central African Republic and Congo-Brazzaville.
The situation has raised concerns, particularly among parents and educators, as schools in Ituri province have reported cases of Ebola shortly after students returned from summer holidays. Angele Magani, a mother of a schoolboy in the provincial capital of Bunia, expressed her fears regarding the health status of children returning to school. "We are very worried because we don’t know which child comes from which family or what the health status of the members of that family is," she told the AFP news agency.
In response to the outbreak, school officials in Bunia have implemented health measures, including a mandatory hand-washing system with soap and limiting classroom sizes to a maximum of 30 students. Roger Mungimbo, a school official, emphasized the importance of educating children about hygiene practices, urging them not to touch one another and to wash their hands regularly.
Ebola is known to be transmitted through contact with the bodily fluids of infected individuals and can lead to severe symptoms, including internal and external bleeding and organ failure. The disease has claimed more than 15,000 lives across Africa over the last 50 years. The most devastating outbreak occurred between 2014 and 2016 in West Africa, primarily affecting Guinea, Liberia, and Sierra Leone, and resulting in over 11,325 deaths.
Currently, the Bundibugyo strain of Ebola does not have an approved vaccine or treatment, although several potential options are undergoing testing. The DRC's health authorities are working diligently to contain the outbreak, but the challenges posed by the region's instability and limited healthcare resources remain significant obstacles.
As the situation develops, health officials continue to monitor the spread of the virus and implement measures aimed at curbing its transmission. The DRC's ongoing struggle with this epidemic highlights the urgent need for improved healthcare infrastructure and resources in the region to effectively combat such outbreaks in the future.