Ebola tops 11,000 cases in Congo's deadliest outbreak
[November 11, 2026]
BUNIA, Congo (AP) — Congo’s Ebola outbreak has topped 11,000
cases, the government said Wednesday, a stark figure that underscores
the severity of the situation as the country grapples with the spread of
the disease.
According to the latest health ministry data, 11,042 people have been
infected with the deadly virus that has now killed 5,387 — nearly half
of those infected in what has been Congo's deadliest outbreak.
The outbreak was declared in mid-May, and since then Congolese
authorities have struggled to contain it due to several factors,
including armed conflicts, a health system crisis, poor roads and
violence from residents fueled by mistrust and misinformation.
The Bundibugyo virus responsible for this outbreak has no known vaccine
or treatment and has spread to eight of the country’s 26 provinces.
The resurgence of violence in the two major hotspots in Ituri and North
Kivu provinces has sparked worry among health authorities who are
calling for a halt to the fighting to allow health workers unhindered
access to the sick.
While Ituri accounts for nearly 70% of total cases, North Kivu has
emerged as the main site of new transmission, according to Congolese
Health Minister Roger Kamba.
Health facilities and medical professionals have also been targeted by
many in communities skeptical of the virus, and there have been several
attacks on health workers.
The outbreak has affected some schools in Ituri, with more teachers
contracting the disease. Two head teachers in Bunia, the provincial
capital of Ituri, told The Associated Press they are worried about their
teachers and students after losing members of staff.
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A healthcare worker carries an infant who's infected with the Ebola
virus in a treatment center in Beni, North Kivu Province, Congo,
Monday, Nov. 9, 2026. (AP Photo/Sebastien Kitsa Musayi)
 "Our students and the entire staff
have been left traumatized. At this stage, we need psychologists to
support us, as the situation is extremely difficult,” Isaac Singoma,
one of the headteachers, said.
Experts have called for more efforts to slow and contain the
outbreak in Congo. The disease has spread to multiple African
countries including Uganda, Kenya and Nigeria.
Dozens of Ebola outbreaks have been reported since the disease was
first discovered in 1976. The largest and deadliest occurred in West
Africa in 2014 to 2016, with 28,000 infections and more than 11,000
deaths.
The current outbreak already ranks second and has had at least three
times the number of cases and deaths in the time since it was
declared, compared with the West Africa outbreak.
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