DRC Ebola cases surpass 4,000 as officials warn of fastest spreading outbreak on record | The National

Health workers stand in an Ebola treatment center in Bunia, in north-east Democratic Republic of the Congo. AFPShow caption: Health workers stand in an Ebola treatment center in Bunia, …Current situation developing more quickly than West Africa 10 years ago, when more than 11,300 people died ReutersAugust 12, 2026

DRC's Ebola outbreak has reached 4,449 confirmed cases and 2,061 deaths, marking the fastest-spreading outbreak on record.

The current outbreak is caused by the Bundibugyo species of Ebola, for which no approved vaccines or treatments exist.

Deaths have risen from 1,000 to 2,000 in under a month, compared to 12 months in the country's previous 2018-2020 outbreak.

Conflict, delayed detection and strained health services have hampered contact tracing, patient isolation and efforts to curb transmission.