DR Congo Confirms Over 1,500 Ebola Cases as WHO Expands Response and Treatment Trials
Key Developments:
- The Democratic Republic of the Congo has confirmed 1,502 Ebola cases and 473 deaths, making it the largest recorded Bundibugyo Ebola outbreak.
- The World Health Organization (WHO) says transmission continues in eastern DRC while security challenges are hampering response efforts.
- A WHO-backed clinical trial has begun to evaluate potential treatments for the Bundibugyo strain, for which no approved vaccine or specific treatment currently exists.
KINSHASA (Xinhua) — July 4, 2026: The Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) has reported 1,502 laboratory-confirmed Ebola cases, including 473 deaths, as health authorities and the World Health Organization (WHO) continue efforts to contain what has become the largest recorded outbreak of the Bundibugyo strain of the virus.
According to the latest situation report issued by Congolese public health authorities, 628 patients are currently receiving treatment in isolation or hospital facilities, while 229 people have recovered. Authorities have also recorded 213 suspected cases, including 63 deaths, as surveillance and testing continue in affected regions.
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During an online media briefing, WHO Regional Director for Africa Dr. Mohamed Yakub Janabi described the situation as a major public health concern.
“The situation remains serious,” Janabi said, noting that transmission continues in the eastern provinces of Ituri and North Kivu.
He added that the current epidemic is “the largest Bundibugyo Ebola outbreak ever recorded.”
WHO officials say the outbreak is being complicated by insecurity in eastern DRC, where armed group activity and population displacement have made surveillance and contact tracing more difficult.
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Pierre Akilimali, a WHO expert working in the DRC, said the affected areas include mining regions with frequent movement of workers and visitors, increasing the risk of further transmission.
“The outbreak is occurring in areas affected by insecurity and armed group activities, making case detection and contact tracing difficult,” Akilimali explained.
In response to the growing outbreak, WHO announced this week that a clinical trial has begun enrolling patients to evaluate potential therapies for Ebola caused by the Bundibugyo virus. The study is assessing the monoclonal antibody MBP134 and the antiviral drug remdesivir, both individually and in combination, to determine whether they improve patient survival. Currently, no approved vaccine or specific treatment exists for this strain.
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WHO has also expanded laboratory capacity across the country, increasing testing capability from a handful of facilities to 10 operational laboratories, allowing health workers to diagnose infections more rapidly and strengthen outbreak surveillance. On July 2, the organization also added the first molecular diagnostic test for the Bundibugyo virus to its Emergency Use Listing to speed up case detection in affected areas.
DR Congo is the epicentre of the outbreak though a few cases have been detected in Uganda. CREDIT: Anadolu via Getty Images.
The WHO’s latest outbreak assessment notes that the epidemic remains concentrated primarily in Ituri, North Kivu and parts of South Kivu, while regional preparedness efforts continue in neighboring countries to reduce the risk of cross-border spread. Health authorities have urged continued international cooperation, community engagement and strengthened surveillance to help contain the outbreak.
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