Congo’s 17th Ebola Outbreak Confirmed; 65 Dead, 246 Cases Already Reported in Ituri Province

Africa’s top health authority has confirmed a deadly new Ebola outbreak in Congo’s remote Ituri province the country’s 17th since 1976. With 246 suspected cases and 65 deaths already recorded, the outbreak is raising alarms across borders as Uganda reports an imported death and WHO rushes emergency funds.

Africa’s Health Body Confirms Deadly Outbreak in Eastern Congo

Congo’s northeastern Ituri province is in the grip of a fresh Ebola crisis the country’s 17th such outbreak since the deadly virus was first identified there in 1976. Africa’s leading public health authority, the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC), confirmed the outbreak on Friday. At present, 246 suspected cases and 65 deaths have been recorded mainly across the Mongwalu and Rwampara health zones. Additional suspected cases have also emerged in Bunia, Ituri’s provincial capital, where confirmation tests are still pending.

Lab Tests Identify the Rare Bundibugyo Strain

Initial field tests came back negative because the equipment could only detect the more common Zaire strain. A fresh round of lab analysis by the National Institute of Biomedical Research (INRB) in Kinshasa detected Ebola in 13 out of 20 tested samples. The strain identified is the Bundibugyo ebolavirus a rarer variant with a case fatality rate of around 30 percent. It was first discovered in 2007 in Uganda’s Bundibugyo district, where it caused 131 cases and 42 deaths. Crucially, the existing licensed Ervebo vaccine prequalified by WHO targets only the Zaire strain and offers no protection against Bundibugyo. Four of the 65 deaths have so far been confirmed through laboratory testing.

Uganda Reports an Imported Death, Cross-Border Spread Feared

The crisis has already crossed international borders. Uganda’s Health Ministry confirmed the death of a Congolese man who was admitted to a hospital in Kampala but died three days later. Officials described the case as “imported” from Congo, adding that Uganda has not yet confirmed any local transmission. All contacts linked to the deceased have been placed under quarantine, and his remains have been returned to Congo. The development has raised fresh regional alarm Bunia, Ituri’s main city, sits right on the border with Uganda. South Sudan is also nearby, and cross-border population movement is intense, particularly among mine workers.

WHO Releases $500,000 and Backs Congo’s Response Capacity

World Health Organization Director-General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus addressed the media on Friday, noting that WHO teams were deployed to Ituri as early as May 5, when initial signals of suspected cases first emerged. “WHO will continue working to support the Democratic Republic of Congo to bring the Ebola outbreak under control,” Tedros said. He acknowledged that Congo has “a strong track record” in managing such outbreaks. WHO also announced the release of $500,000 in emergency funding to support the response. Experts on the ground are focusing on contact tracing, surveillance, community engagement, safe burials, and infection prevention inside healthcare facilities.

Remote Location and Armed Conflict Make Containment Harder

Ituri province presents a uniquely difficult response environment. It sits more than 1,000 kilometres roughly 620 miles from Kinshasa, and the road network is poor and unreliable. The province has seen decades of violence linked to insurgent groups. The Allied Democratic Force an IS-linked militant group has killed dozens and displaced thousands in Ituri over the past year alone. The M23 rebel group has also been active in eastern Congo, adding further strain. As public health experts have noted, the combination of urban proximity in Bunia, intense mining-related worker mobility in Mongwalu, and widespread insecurity makes tracking and containing the virus far more challenging.

History of Devastating Outbreaks Raises the Stakes Further

Congo’s track record with Ebola is grim. The country’s worst outbreak lasting from 2018 to 2020 in the eastern region killed more than 1,000 people and was driven by the Zaire strain. The 2014–2016 West Africa epidemic, which swept across Guinea, Sierra Leone, and Liberia, killed more than 11,000 people globally. The current outbreak comes barely five months after Congo’s 16th outbreak declared over in December 2025 which had resulted in 43 deaths. Experts have also flagged concerns that severe cuts to U.S. global health aid could be weakening surveillance systems. “It’s possible that we’re starting to see the consequences of severe and sudden cuts to global health programs that have eroded surveillance and allowed deadly viruses to spread undetected,” said Dr. Jennifer Nuzzo, a public health expert.

Africa CDC Calls Emergency Meeting All Eyes on Next Steps

Africa CDC has called an urgent high-level coordination meeting bringing together health officials from Congo, Uganda, and South Sudan, alongside UN agencies and international partners including the Public Health Agency of Canada. The meeting addresses immediate response priorities cross-border coordination, lab support, contact tracing, safe and dignified burials, and resource mobilization. There are acknowledged gaps in contact listing, and local authorities are racing to find anyone potentially exposed. Officials stress that early detection, rapid isolation, and safe burial practices are the critical pillars in controlling any Ebola outbreak. The next 24 to 48 hours will be pivotal in determining how far the virus has already spread.