DRC Ebola Outbreak Passes 1,000 Confirmed Cases

There have been 254 cumulative deaths confirmed in the growing outbreak thus far.

June 23, 2026

Key Highlights

The outbreak involves the Bundibugyo strain, which has no licensed vaccines or therapeutics available since 2007.
Only 58% of case contacts have been followed up, complicating containment efforts.
Displacement camps have reported at least 30 suspected Ebola deaths since May, highlighting the outbreak's severity.
The case fatality rate is 26%, but this figure may be underestimated due to reporting challenges.
Over 320,000 refugees in the DRC live in areas at risk of Ebola, increasing the potential for widespread transmission.

Officials in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) have confirmed there are now 1,003 cumulative confirmed cases and 254 cumulative deaths in the growing Ebola outbreak. CIDRAP has the news.

The outbreak is caused by the Bundibugyo strain of the virus, which has no known licensed vaccines or therapeutics since its identification in 2007. Health workers in the DRC have only been able to follow up with 58% of case contacts, which poses a unique problem. The case fatality rate (CFR) for the outbreak is 26%, which is lower than outbreaks of the strain in 2007 and 2012 (30% and 50% respectively). However, officials warn the reported CFR is likely an underestimation.

A displacement camp in the DRC has recorded at least 30 deaths from suspected Ebola since May. Officials warn the virus could "devastate the camp's population."

The WHO stressed that the outbreak is "unfolding in a complex humanitarian and conflict-affected environment, characterized by highly mobile and often displaced populations, often lacking access to basic services." 320,000 refugees live in areas in DRC that are at risk of Ebola.