Tracking: Ebola outbreak in DR Congo · Last checked 8 Oct, 14:46 UTC · 94 stories from listed outlets
Ebola outbreak in DR Congo: latest status
Status: Outbreak growing Summary written
Kenya reports imported Ebola case and death as DRC outbreak reaches 4,000 fatalities.
Is it spreading beyond DR Congo?
Spread confirmed
As of 8 October 2026, the Kenya Ministry of Health and international news outlets confirmed an imported case of Bundibugyo Ebola virus disease in Kenya in a traveler who arrived from the Democratic Republic of the Congo via Uganda and subsequently died.
Confirmed an imported case of Bundibugyo Ebola, heightened border surveillance, set up a public hotline, and stated Kenya is not experiencing a domestic outbreak.
As of 8 October 2026, response efforts continue across the Democratic Republic of the Congo and neighboring Kenya following the confirmation of an imported Ebola case in Nairobi.
The traveler, who arrived from the DRC via Uganda, died of Ebola in Nairobi, prompting Kenyan authorities to quarantine 10 contacts and work to trace up to 57 additional individuals while strengthening border surveillance.
In the DRC, total fatalities have reached 4,000 according to news reporting, while Doctors Without Borders warned that transmission in North Kivu remains out of control, accounting for nearly 40 percent of new confirmed cases.
For official health advice, consult your national health authority and the World Health Organization. Early supportive care improves survival, and readers should follow WHO and national guidance on vaccination and treatment; this site is not medical advice.
Timeline
Demonstrators forcibly removed the bodies of two Ebola victims from a treatment center in Bunia.
France announced 7 million euros in additional Ebola support for the DRC, while the Beni response coordinator denied rumors of treatment center closures.
Original title: Aucun centre de traitement d'Ebola n'a fermé ses portes à Beni
The coordinator of the Ebola response in Beni denied social media rumors claiming that treatment centers in the region had closed, Radio Okapi reported on October 8, 2026.
Original title: Askofu Zacharie Katanda Masimango wa Dayosisi ya Anglikana ya Kindu: Viongozi wa dini wazungumzia Imani wakati wa Ebola.
The Anglican Diocese of Kindu held a meeting for religious leaders in Maniema province to discuss community awareness and faith-based messaging on Ebola, according to Bishop Zacharie Katanda Masimango.
Original title: Plus de 50 journalistes outillés contre la désinformation sur la 17e épidémie d'Ebola à Beni
More than 50 journalists in Beni participated in a training workshop on Tuesday 6 October focused on managing information and combating misinformation during the Ebola outbreak, according to workshop organizers.
Original title: Trois personnes condamnées à 30 mois de prison après le saccage du centre de traitement d’Ebola à Mungamba (Ituri)
The High Court of Ituri sentenced three people to 30 months in prison for incitement and disobedience following the ransacking of an Ebola treatment center in Mungamba, according to judicial reports.
Original title: Kenya boosts Ebola preparedness after registering first case
The Kenyan Ministry of Health increased surveillance at border entry points and established a public hotline to report Ebola symptoms, according to the ministry.
Original title: Ebola dans l’Est de la RDC : près de 2 000 enfants devenus orphelins (UNICEF)
UNICEF stated in a report published Wednesday that the Ebola epidemic in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo has left nearly 2,000 children orphaned, noting that the actual figure could be higher.
Original title: Kenya: 10 people in quarantine as officials try to reach 57 more contacts of deceased Ebola patient
Kenyan health officials placed 10 people in quarantine and were working to reach 57 additional contacts of a deceased Ebola patient, according to media reports.
Original title: Ebola: le Kenya renforce ses mesures et sa surveillance après l’annonce d’un mort sur son sol
Kenyan President William Ruto announced a series of measures and urged public vigilance following the death of a Kenyan national who traveled from the DRC via Uganda to Nairobi, according to official statements.
Original title: Kenya: Health Minister insists no ebola outbreak in country
Kenya's health secretary stated that the country is not experiencing an Ebola outbreak, despite confirming its first death from the disease, Africanews reported.