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Ebola outbreak in eastern Congo (Bundibugyo virus)

Where it stands now

A Bundibugyo-virus Ebola outbreak has infected about 9,500 people across eight provinces of Congo and killed at least 4,600, with no approved vaccine or treatment. Ituri province and its capital Bunia remain the center, where a mental health clinic reports up to 350 patients linked to the outbreak amid stigma and grief. The WHO says the response is outpacing efforts to track and slow transmission, and more than 70% of new cases as of early October were not among known contacts.

days running: 112
events: 2
decisions traced: 2
knock-on changes: 5

1. First deaths reported in Ituri 2. Outbreak scales to ~9,500 cases and 4,600 deaths

1 Jul decision with traced effectsevent 21 Oct

How we got here

Chapter 1

First deaths reported in Ituri

Jul 2026

Jul 2026
Two of a teacher's relatives died of Ebola at a treatment center in Ituri province.

Which led to → Deaths at an Ituri treatment center marked the outbreak's arrival in the province that later became its epicenter, setting up the large-scale spread documented in the following months.

Chapter 2

Outbreak scales to ~9,500 cases and 4,600 deaths

Oct 2026 · now

21 Oct
The Hindu reports the outbreak has killed at least 4,600 of 9,500 infected people.
DecisionBundibugyo virus Spreads across eight provinces in eastern Congo, centered on Ituri
1. Ebola deaths mount past 4,600 with no approved vaccine or treatmentPeople whose relative has had Ebola are often shunned by neighbours who fear catching the virus, even after the patient recovers or dies. A family may be avoided at the market, at school or at church. This is on top of the grief of losing a relative, so the social harm outlasts the illness itself.bad for Patients and their families in eastern Congo · reported (World Health Organization)
ReachesPatient or caregiver Health & Pharma Parent of school-age children Government / public policyAll 5 changes →
DecisionWorld Health Organization Warns outbreak is outpacing efforts to track and slow it
How we know →

What we checked

Claim	Status	What the evidence says
This is Congo's 17th Ebola outbreak and has spread to eight provinces.	Single source	1 source
A schoolteacher in eastern Congo learned that five of her family members had been diagnosed with Ebola.	Single source	1 source
The National Institute of Public Health reported 9,552 infections and 4,602 deaths to date, including 97 cases and 41 deaths in the previous 24 hours.	Single source	1 source
The fatality rate since the outbreak began more than five months ago is 48.2%.	Single source	1 source
The contact tracing percentage stands at 76.9%, an indicator that has been declining in recent weeks.	Single source	1 source
Ituri province remains the epicenter with 72.9% of total infections, though in the last day it accounts for only 43.3% of cases.	Single source	1 source
The outbreak is caused by the Bundibugyo strain, which has no approved vaccine or treatment.	Single source	1 source

Single sourceThis is Congo's 17th Ebola outbreak and has spread to eight provinces.

Single sourceA schoolteacher in eastern Congo learned that five of her family members had been diagnosed with Ebola.

Single sourceThe National Institute of Public Health reported 9,552 infections and 4,602 deaths to date, including 97 cases and 41 deaths in the previous 24 hours.

Single sourceThe fatality rate since the outbreak began more than five months ago is 48.2%.

Single sourceThe contact tracing percentage stands at 76.9%, an indicator that has been declining in recent weeks.

Single sourceIturi province remains the epicenter with 72.9% of total infections, though in the last day it accounts for only 43.3% of cases.

Single sourceThe outbreak is caused by the Bundibugyo strain, which has no approved vaccine or treatment.

Questions

What is the Bundibugyo virus, and why does the lack of an approved vaccine or treatment matter?

Bundibugyo virus is a type of Ebola virus different from the Zaire virus, and it has no approved vaccine or treatment.

What is being done to respond to the outbreak?

The response relies on public health measures like finding cases and following contacts, because no vaccine or treatment is approved.

Still open · we're looking When and where did this outbreak begin, and when was it officially declared?

Still open · we're looking How does the mental health burden compare with earlier Ebola outbreaks?

Still open · we're looking Is this Congo's 17th Ebola outbreak, and which eight provinces has it spread to?

Still open · we're looking Do the National Institute of Public Health figures match official situation reports?

Still open · we're looking What happens next — is the outbreak expected to worsen, and what are the official next steps?

Still open · we're looking When and where did this Bundibugyo outbreak begin, and how has it spread to eight provinces? What is the timeline of the first cases and the declaration of the outbreak?