Congo’s Ebola outbreak tops 10,000 cases as authorities race to slow the
spread in African countries
[October 27, 2026]
By CHINEDU ASADU AND CONSTANT SAME BAGALWA
BUNIA, Congo (AP) — The fast-moving Ebola outbreak in Congo has reached
10,000 confirmed cases, government data showed Tuesday, as health
authorities race to slow the spread of the disease in multiple African
countries.
It is the fastest-growing Ebola outbreak in history and nearly half of
the 10,060 confirmed to have the virus have died, according to data from
Congo’s Ministry of Health. That also makes it the deadliest outbreak of
the disease in the country’s history.
The outbreak declared in May is caused by the rare Bundibugyo virus, for
which there is no approved vaccine or treatment. Response teams are
battling armed conflict, poor roads and violence from residents fueled
by mistrust and misinformation. Those obstacles compound the challenge
of persuading people to report symptoms and accept care in communities
that have endured years of violence and repeated epidemics.
Compared to the West Africa Ebola outbreak of 2014-2016 – history’s
largest and deadliest with more than 28,000 cases, including over 11,000
deaths – this has had at least three times the number of cases and
number of deaths in the time since it was declared.
It has spread farther across Africa than any previous Ebola outbreak,
reaching three regions with cases recorded in Kenya and Nigeria as well.
It’s so far been recorded in five countries including Uganda and France,
both of which have no active cases at the moment.
A recurring problem in the spread in Africa is what appears to be lax
surveillance efforts as most of the first cases were confirmed long
after people started showing symptoms or after traveling.
African health ministers are to hold a virtual summit on Wednesday to
strengthen the continent's collective response. “Ebola is crossing
borders. Our response must move faster, with stronger coordination,
greater solidarity and decisive political leadership,” Dr. Jean Kaseya,
head of Africa CDC, has said.
At least 2,600 patients have recovered from the disease in Congo,
bringing rare moments of joy to affected communities. A viral video this
week showed health workers in full protective gear dancing as the last
two patients were discharged from a treatment center in Mongbwalu, Ituri
province.
“The outbreak is far from over, but every life saved is worth
celebrating,” World Health Organization Director-General Tedros Adhanom
Ghebreyesus said of the video.
80% of new cases in Congo are outside of monitored contacts
In Congo, the disease has spread to 66 health zones across eight
provinces, from three zones when it was first declared in May.
Responders have told The Associated Press that they’re seeing treatment
centers in some of those health zones getting overwhelmed, people still
skeptical and violent toward them, and health workers are regularly
going on strike to protest delayed or unpaid wages.
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 “Some people still don’t seem to
understand the seriousness of the situation even though they are
directly exposed to the risk,” said Sephora Bgosi with the Ebola
burial team in Ituri province, the epicenter. “Ebola disease is
extremely dangerous and can be deadly," said Bgosi.
About 80% of recorded cases are still coming from outside of
monitored contacts, showing there are ongoing chains of transmission
that health authorities are not aware of. At least 95% of recorded
cases are supposed to be coming from known contacts for officials to
say the outbreak has largely been brought under control, the Africa
CDC has said.
At least half of deaths recorded are among people who have not been
admitted to treatment centers, a sign that people are still not
reporting symptoms at all in many areas.
In many zones, health workers are battling challenges ranging from
basic needs such as adequate vehicles to complex ones like
persuading families to release their relatives who are sick with the
disease or who have died from it and need to be buried safely.
Last week at the Nia Nia health zone in Ituri province, some Ebola
responders, including surveillance and community engagement
officers, went on strike over unpaid bonuses owed since late August,
a common trend across many affected localities.
More than five months since the outbreak was declared, health
workers are still being attacked by angry villagers, including on
Saturday when a nurse was killed and another health worker severely
injured while responding to an Ebola alert in Bafwasende, Tshopo
province.
The outbreak is impacting Congo’s healthcare services
The outbreak has disrupted essential health services that are
already underfunded and overstretched and has shifted attention away
from other disease outbreaks the country is battling, such as
cholera.
More pregnant women are dying as they avoid hospitals over fear of
infection and isolation, causing maternal mortality to double in
some provinces soon after the outbreak was declared.
It has also disrupted routine healthcare services such as childhood
vaccinations, interrupted schooling for children where millions are
already out of school, caused trauma and stigma for affected
families and further stretched the livelihoods of many already
struggling with hardship.
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Asadu reported from Abuja, Nigeria.
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