2,473 cases have been confirmed and 737 patients are in isolation or hospital, while officials say the rare Bundibugyo strain has no approved vaccines or treatments and response funding is short.
WHO says two Ebola deaths have also been recorded in neighboring Uganda, though the country has reported no new infections for more than a month and began its 42-day countdown on July 16.
The speed of the outbreak has alarmed health officials: the 2013-2016 West Africa epidemic took about eight months to reach 1,000 deaths, versus under 10 weeks in eastern Congo.
Is Congo's deadliest Ebola battle against the virus itself, or against deep-seated community distrust?
Can experimental vaccines be developed fast enough to stop Congo's unprecedented Ebola crisis?
Bundibugyo Ebola Outbreak in DRC: Over 930 Dead, Unprecedented Spread, and Global Response as of July 22, 2026
Overview
As of July 22, 2026, the Democratic Republic of Congo is facing a rapidly worsening Bundibugyo Ebola outbreak, first declared on May 15, 2026. The crisis has resulted in at least 930 deaths, with a sharp increase of 37 deaths in just one day, marking one of the highest daily tolls since the outbreak began. The World Health Organization has noted that this outbreak is spreading faster than any previous Ebola outbreak on record. With 2,344 confirmed cases, the situation highlights the urgent need for effective response and control measures to prevent further escalation.