Note: Single-source report; awaiting corroboration.
The Ebola Bundibugyo virus outbreak in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DR Congo) is expanding geographically, with cases primarily in Ituri province and now present in North Kivu and South Kivu. World Health Organization (WHO) Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus stated that insecurity, attacks on health facilities, and population movements complicate efforts to trace contacts and isolate cases.
DR Congo has reported nearly 1,000 suspected Ebola cases and over 220 suspected deaths, though only one death has been confirmed by lab tests. Uganda has reported seven confirmed cases linked to the outbreak, including two healthcare workers and one confirmed death.
The outbreak is unfolding in a volatile region impacted by conflict involving armed groups, including the Allied Democratic Forces, CODECO militias, and Rwanda-backed M23. These conflicts have led to attacks on villages, health facilities, and displaced communities, causing civilian casualties and hindering humanitarian access and essential services.
The United Nations-backed Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) analysis estimates nearly 10 million people in Ituri, North Kivu, South Kivu, and Tanganyika provinces are experiencing acute hunger from January to June 2026. Nationwide, about 26.5 million people in DR Congo face high levels of acute food insecurity. WHO stressed that concurrent crises of hunger and disease make responding to the outbreak more difficult.