The Ebola outbreak caused by Bundibugyo virus in the Democratic Republic of Congo has continued to expand, with more than 6,700 confirmed cases and 3,267 deaths reported since the outbreak was first detected in May.
The latest World Health Organization (WHO) update, published on September 10, shows that the outbreak has now reached 61 health zones across six provinces, after Kayna health zone in North Kivu became the latest area to report cases.
As of September 7, the Democratic Republic of Congo had recorded 6,757 confirmed cases and 3,267 deaths, giving the outbreak a crude case fatality ratio of 48.3%.
A further 1,590 patients have recovered.
The figures represent a sharp increase since WHO’s previous update on August 28. During that period, DRC reported an additional 963 confirmed cases and 481 confirmed deaths.
WHO cautions that some of the increase may be due to stronger surveillance, expanded laboratory testing, improved diagnostic capacity and the reconciliation of previously unreported data. However, the agency says the continued rise in cases and deaths also reflects ongoing community transmission and the geographical expansion of the outbreak.
Ituri remains the epicentre
Ituri province continues to carry the largest burden of the outbreak, with 5,406 confirmed cases since the beginning of the epidemic.
North Kivu follows with 1,066 cases.
In the 21 days preceding September 7, Ituri recorded 1,114 new confirmed cases, while North Kivu recorded 453.
North Kivu is also reporting one of the highest case fatality ratios in the outbreak at 65.4%, although investigations are still underway to understand why mortality is particularly high there.
The outbreak is unfolding in an already fragile humanitarian environment. WHO reports that more than 26 million people in DRC are experiencing acute food insecurity, while approximately one million internally displaced people are living in Ituri province alone.
Conflict and population displacement are making it harder for health workers to reach communities, conduct surveillance and trace contacts.
Overcrowding, inadequate water and sanitation, and limited access to healthcare in mining communities, informal settlements and displacement sites are also creating additional challenges for infection prevention and early detection.
Uganda remains a key concern
Although no new cases have been reported in Uganda in the latest WHO update, the outbreak remains a regional concern because of the movement of people between DRC and neighbouring countries.
The cumulative regional figures stand at 6,778 confirmed cases, including 20 in Uganda and one case in France. A total of 3,269 deaths have been reported, including two in Uganda. Eighteen people in Uganda have recovered.
WHO says screening and surveillance continue at airports, ports and official land border crossings. However, people continue to use informal crossing points, which can make it difficult to detect and respond to infections moving across borders.
The agency is therefore calling for stronger cross-border coordination, surveillance and preparedness.
For Uganda, this is particularly important given its experience with the same virus earlier in the year.
Why this Ebola outbreak is different
This outbreak is caused by Bundibugyo virus, one of the viruses in the Orthoebolavirus group that causes Ebola disease.
The virus is believed to have a natural reservoir in fruit bats. Human infection can occur through contact with infected wildlife, while person-to-person transmission occurs through contact with the blood, secretions, organs or other bodily fluids of infected people or contaminated materials.
Transmission can also increase in healthcare settings where infection prevention and control measures are inadequate and during unsafe burials involving contact with the bodies of people who have died from the disease.
The incubation period ranges from two to 21 days. People are not considered infectious until symptoms begin.
Early symptoms such as fever, fatigue, muscle pain, headache and sore throat can look like other common illnesses, making early diagnosis difficult. More severe disease can involve gastrointestinal symptoms, organ dysfunction and, in some cases, bleeding.
This is particularly important in areas where illnesses such as malaria are common because symptoms can overlap. Laboratory testing is therefore critical for confirming infection.
No approved vaccine specifically for Bundibugyo virus
One of the major challenges in responding to the outbreak is that there is currently no approved vaccine specifically for Bundibugyo virus and no approved specific treatment.
WHO says outbreak control therefore depends heavily on early detection, isolation and care of patients, contact tracing, safe burials, infection prevention and control, and community engagement.
There is, however, research underway.
WHO’s Technical Advisory Group on candidate vaccine prioritization recommended that Ervebo, the licensed Ebola vaccine used against Zaire ebolavirus, be prioritized for inclusion in a randomized clinical trial for Bundibugyo virus disease.
But following a review of the available evidence, WHO’s Strategic Advisory Group of Experts on Immunization concluded that there is still insufficient evidence to support routine use of Ervebo against Bundibugyo virus.
WHO currently recommends that the vaccine be used for Bundibugyo virus disease only within a research protocol.
Vaccination of healthcare and frontline workers has begun, with 2,007 people vaccinated across six health zones in Ituri, Tshopo and Bas-Uélé as of September 6.
Treatment research is underway
Researchers are also looking for effective treatments.
The PARTNERS clinical trial began enrolling patients on July 2 and is now operating in five clinical management facilities in Ituri. More than 300 people with confirmed Bundibugyo virus disease have been enrolled, according to WHO.
The treatment research is particularly significant because the outbreak has a high fatality rate and patients can deteriorate quickly if diagnosis and supportive care are delayed.
The regional risk remains high
WHO’s latest assessment continues to distinguish between the risk inside DRC, neighbouring countries and the rest of the world.
The risk within DRC is assessed as very high.
For countries sharing a land border with DRC, including Uganda, the risk is assessed as high.
The risk for the rest of the African region and globally remains low.
Despite the regional risk, WHO is not recommending travel or trade restrictions against affected countries.
Instead, the agency is calling for stronger surveillance, preparedness and cross-border collaboration, as well as rapid recognition, testing and care of suspected cases.
For Uganda and other countries bordering DRC, the message is therefore less about closing borders and more about keeping health systems alert, strengthening surveillance and ensuring that suspected cases are identified and managed quickly.
This story is based on the World Health Organization’s Disease Outbreak News update published September 10, 2026.
