Ebola disease outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo

As of 15 October 2026, the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) reported a total of 9 277 confirmed cases, including 4 478 related deaths (from data up until 14 October). A total of 924 patients are hospitalised in isolation. On 14 October, 65 new confirmed cases and 37 deaths were reported. The 65 new cases have been reported from Ituri (31 cases), North Kivu (28 cases), Haut-Uele (5 cases), and Tshopo (1 case). Among the individuals who tested positive for Bundibugyo virus, 2 486 have recovered. In total, 78.0% of identified case contacts are under follow-up in the affected provinces.

Ituri province remains the most affected, with 6 806 cases, including 3 148 deaths, reported from 28 of 36 health zones. In Nord-Kivu, 1 991 cases, including 1 133 deaths, have been reported from 17 of 34 health zones. In Sud-Kivu, three cases, including one death, have been reported from one of 34 health zones. In Haut-Uélé, 398 cases, including 167 deaths, have been reported from seven of 13 health zones. In Tshopo, 64 cases, including 24 deaths, have been reported from seven of 23 health zones. In Bas-Uélé, 13 cases, including four deaths, have been reported from four of 11 health zones. In Sud Ubangi, two cases and one death have been reported from one of 16 health zones. Overall, 65 of 167 health zones are currently affected across seven provinces.

According to media reports citing officials, two cases have been confirmed in North Ubangi, making it the eighth affected province. Laboratory tests were conducted, following a series of suspected deaths in a mining area in the Wapinda health zone, bordering Bas-Uele.

Data reported by DRC on confirmed cases and deaths are under continuous review and harmonisation.

On 6 October 2026, Kenya’s Cabinet Secretary for Health announced the country’s first confirmed imported Ebola virus disease case. The patient, a Kenyan citizen who had been residing in DRC, reportedly travelled from DRC to Kenya, via Uganda, on 3 October. The patient subsequently died. According to the Ministry of Health, 113 of the patient zero’s 128 listed ⁠contacts were traced and 108 of them are in quarantine in Kenya. Contact tracing has identified 5 of the listed contacts outside Kenya and 15 have not yet been located. On 14 October, a second case was reported in one of the close family contacts in quarantine. The newly reported case is currently in a treatment centre.

In Uganda, a total of 20 cases were reported between May and June 2026 by the Ministry of Health. On 25 August, WHO declared the end of the outbreak following 42 days without a new confirmed case being reported.On 25 August, WHO declared the end of the outbreak, following 42 days without a new confirmed case being reported.

Monitoring cases that were medically evacuated or imported to Europe

A healthcare worker based in DRC who tested positive for Bundibugyo virus on 29 September was medically evacuated to the Netherlands to receive specialised care. The patient was admitted to the high-level isolation unit at Leiden University Medical Center on 1 October.

In May 2026, there was an imported case in a US citizen who was medically evacuated to Germany for treatment, and on 24 June 2026 a further imported case was reported in France by the Ministry of Health. Both cases were imported from areas affected by the ongoing outbreak in DRC. On 10 July 2026, the US CDC reported that a US citizen working for a humanitarian organisation in DRC had tested positive for Bundibugyo virus. The patient was medically evacuated to Germany on 13 July 2026. On 21 July, the United Kingdom Ministry of Health reported that a UK resident who had been treating patients with Ebola in DRC was evacuated and had been isolated in a London hospital.

According to ECDC modelling calculations, the risk of importation into the EU/EEA from the outbreak areas remains very low. While sporadic importations cannot be excluded, the probability of multiple independent importations is very low, even in a pessimistic scenario whereby incidence continues to rise in the affected regions. These results are consistent with ECDC’s previous assessment: ‘Estimation of the importation risk of Bundibugyo virus into the EU/EEA in June 2026’. 

ECDC’s modelling focuses on the general population of the Ituri and North Kivu provinces in DRC and does not take into account healthcare workers deployed to and returning from the affected regions. Although people working in healthcare in the region have a substantially greater risk of exposure, they are required to follow strict infection prevention and control measures and monitoring protocols. As a result, the probability that these individuals will acquire an infection and then travel may differ considerably from that of the general population. 

The risk of importation into the EU/EEA also depends on outbreak size, travel behaviour and travel volume. Due to limited information, assumptions are made on all three of these factors, based on the best available information. 

A weekly update on this outbreak is available in the Communicable disease threats report.

Areas in DRC affected by the ongoing Ebola disease outbreak