Ebola Outbreak Spreading Faster Than Previous Epidemics in DR Congo

Rapid Escalation in DR Congo

As of July 15, 2026, the Ebola outbreak caused by Bundibugyo virus has affected the Democratic Republic of Congo and Uganda, with the DRC reporting 2,011 confirmed cases including 754 deaths by July 14. This outbreak is spreading substantially faster than previous Ebola outbreaks and is now the third largest Ebola outbreak on record, having surpassed 1,000 confirmed cases within 40 days of response activation.

Actual Scale May Be Much Larger

A WHO official, Chikwe Ihekweazu, warned that the true number of Ebola cases is likely at least double the official tally, saying with modeling support "the scale of the outbreak is at least 2-4 times the number of cases we are finding". The WHO has confirmed at least 1,963 cases with at least 719 deaths.

Clinical Trials Offer New Hope

Clinical trials are underway to test new tools that health officials hope could help turn the tide against an outbreak that has already killed over 500 people and sickened more than 1,560, with the World Health Organization announcing that the first patients were enrolled in a clinical trial designed to test two drugs against Bundibugyo. The clinical trial began on July 2 to identify effective treatment options, evaluating two promising therapies: a monoclonal antibody (MBP134) and the antiviral remdesivir.

Challenging Response Environment

The security situation in eastern DRC remains highly unstable amid violent clashes between DRC forces and armed militias in North Kivu, South Kivu and Ituri provinces, with heavy fighting continuing between the Alliance Fleuve Congo/23 March Movement supported by Rwandan forces. As of July 12, 727 patients were being treated in Ebola treatment centres across the affected areas in what experts say is the fastest-growing Ebola outbreak ever recorded on the continent.