Ebola Emergency in DR Congo Ituri Province Worsens Further

A spreading outbreak

An Ebola outbreak caused by the Bundibugyo ebolavirus is spreading in Ituri Province in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The World Health Organization declared the situation a Public Health Emergency of International Concern on May 16, 2026, its highest level of alarm.

The epicenter of the outbreak is the town of Mongbwalu in eastern DR Congo, where response efforts have been concentrated.

Rising case figures

As of May 27, 2026, 1,205 suspected and confirmed cases and at least 264 deaths had been reported. The figures underscored the scale of an emergency that has alarmed health authorities and scientists alike.

The toll continued to climb as response teams worked to contain the spread of a rare Ebola virus species across the province, where the outbreak has caused growing alarm among scientists.

No specific treatment, conflict hampers response

There is no approved vaccine or medicine specifically for the Bundibugyo virus, as existing Ebola treatments target the Zaire species. That gap complicates efforts to protect health workers and patients and to bring the outbreak under control, leaving responders without the tools developed for more common forms of the disease.

Ongoing armed conflict in Ituri restricts surveillance teams, the deployment of Rapid Response Teams and the secure transport of laboratory samples. The combination of a hard-to-treat virus and persistent insecurity makes this WHO-declared emergency a focus of international monitoring.