The death toll from the Ebola virus in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has risen to 600, while the Africa CDC reports this outbreak as the fastest spreading Ebola epidemic ever encountered.
The Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) announced on Thursday, 9 Jul 2026 GMT+7, that the Ebola virus outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) is the fastest growing ever recorded, while the World Health Organization (WHO) confirmed the death toll has reached 600.
The latest figures released by WHO show 1,759 confirmed cases in the DRC since the Ebola outbreak was declared in mid-May, including 600 confirmed deaths.
“This is the fastest growing Ebola outbreak ever recorded, not only among previous outbreaks of the Bundibugyo strain but also among all other Ebola virus strains,” said Wessam Mankoula, head of emergency preparedness and response at Africa CDC.
Mankoula added that the most severe Ebola outbreak in history (2013-2016 in West Africa) had 994 cases in the first six weeks, whereas the current wave has 1,596 cases during the same period.
“Unfortunately, this virus continues to outpace our response efforts. It is spreading faster than resources can be allocated to control it,” Mankoula said, adding that cases are estimated to double every 28 days and that $1.4 billion USD is needed to manage the outbreak and provide humanitarian assistance.
The Ebola virus spreads through close contact and bodily fluids of infected individuals. The current outbreak is caused by the rare Bundibugyo strain, which has no officially approved vaccine or treatment, and is believed to have been spreading for some time before detection.
WHO in the DRC reports a case fatality rate of 34% for this outbreak, with 285 patients recovered so far and 304 suspected Ebola cases still awaiting confirmation.
This current Ebola outbreak is the 17th the DRC has faced. It was officially declared on 15 May after several deaths in Ituri province, before spreading to three neighboring provinces, though most cases remain concentrated in Ituri.
Currently, over 10,000 close contacts of confirmed cases are under surveillance, with an 82% follow-up rate. However, WHO believes a 95% follow-up rate is necessary to effectively control the outbreak.
Laboratory capacity has been enhanced from initially processing only 30 samples per day in the capital Kinshasa to over 2,000 samples daily in local laboratories across affected provinces.
Key factors driving the rapid and difficult-to-control spread of Ebola in this outbreak include population movement, ongoing unrest, and the fragility of the healthcare system.
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Source:cna