The number of suspected deaths due to the Ebola virus in the Democratic Republic of Congo has increased to 160, while cases have been reported in provinces located several hundred kilometers from the current outbreak center.
On 21 May 2026, the Alliance Fleuve Congo, a rebel alliance controlling eastern areas of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), revealed that at least one confirmed Ebola virus case was found in South Kivu province, located several hundred kilometers away from the outbreak center in Ituri province.
This case, found in a rural area near Bukavu—the capital of South Kivu province—indicates the spread of the epidemic, which experts believe had been undetected for about two months in Ituri before being identified last week.
The alliance stated that this patient traveled from Kisangani city in the north but did not provide details about the travel route during this period.
According to data from the Congolese Ministry of Health released on Thursday, the outbreak has resulted in 160 suspected Ebola-related deaths and 670 suspected cases, with 61 confirmed positive so far.
Additionally, two confirmed cases have been identified in neighboring Uganda. Ugandan authorities announced on Thursday they would suspend flights to the DRC as a precautionary measure, effective within 48 hours.
The World Health Organization (WHO) declared the outbreak of the Bundibugyo strain—a strain currently without a vaccine—a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC) over the past weekend.
Previously on Thursday, Claude Bahisire, the public health spokesperson for South Kivu province, told Reuters that two suspected Ebola cases were found; one has died, and the other is isolated pending test results.
Moreover, last week a confirmed Ebola case was reported in Goma, the capital of North Kivu province, an area controlled by the M23 rebel group, which is part of the Alliance Fleuve Congo.
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Source:cna