The Democratic Republic of the Congo has recorded 11,042 confirmed Ebola cases and at least 5,387 deaths as of Tuesday, according to government data. The outbreak represents the second-largest and second-deadliest on record, trailing only the 2014-2016 West African epidemic.
The current outbreak stems from the rare Bundibugyo strain of Ebola, which kills approximately half of those infected. Eight of the DRC's 26 provinces have been affected, with many deaths occurring outside treatment centres.
Health authorities cite delayed detection, conflict and strained health services as factors enabling faster virus spread than in previous outbreaks. No vaccine or treatment has been developed specifically for the Bundibugyo strain, complicating containment efforts.
Cases have been reported across East, Central and West Africa, marking the widest geographic spread of any Ebola outbreak on the continent. The World Health Organization approved clinical trials of two new Ebola vaccines earlier this month, with results expected in early 2027.