At least 930 people have died in the Democratic Republic of the Congo's Ebola outbreak, the country's health ministry said. The deaths were recorded out of 2,344 confirmed cases as of Saturday night. Thirty-seven new deaths were recorded in the previous 24 hours, marking one of the highest single-day totals since the outbreak began.
Fastest-Growing Ebola Outbreak on Record
The outbreak, declared in eastern DR Congo on May 15, 2026, is the fastest-growing Ebola outbreak on record. The Bundibugyo virus responsible for the outbreak is less common than other strains that cause Ebola disease, and there is no approved vaccine or treatment available. Health workers from Médecins Sans Frontières are reinforcing regional emergency response capacity.
Ebola Virus Disease and Symptoms
Ebola, or Ebola virus disease, is a severe and often fatal illness caused by orthoebolaviruses. The infection typically begins with sudden flu-like symptoms, including high temperature, extreme tiredness, muscle aches, headache, and sore throat. As the disease progresses, it can lead to vomiting, diarrhoea, impaired kidney and liver function, and in severe cases, internal and external bleeding.
Transmission and Spread
The virus spreads through direct contact with blood or other bodily fluids of infected and symptomatic individuals. The current outbreak spans the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Uganda. It is caused by the Bundibugyo virus, a rarer strain compared to the Zaire strain that caused the major West African epidemic a decade ago.
