DR Congo Ebola outbreak deaths surpass 5,000 as total cases exceed 10,000.
Is it spreading beyond DR Congo?
Spread confirmed
As of 1 November 2026, health authorities including the African Union and Kenyan health officials have confirmed Ebola cases outside the Democratic Republic of the Congo in countries including Kenya, Uganda, and Nigeria.
Sources: RFIDWAfricanewsThe New York TimesKey figures
| Figure | Value | Basis | As of | Sources |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cumulative Ebola deaths in DR Congo Reported by DR Congo government data and public health authorities. | Over 5,000 | Official | Sources: AfricanewsAfricanews 2BBC | |
| Total confirmed Ebola cases Reported by public health authorities and media tracking the regional outbreak. | 10,351 | Official | Sources: BBCAfricanewsRFI | |
| Confirmed cases in Kenya Confirmed by Kenyan health officials. | 9 | Official | Sources: DW | |
| New confirmed cases in eastern DR Congo (Oct 6-26) Reported by the Congolese presidential task force for eastern provinces including Ituri and North Kivu. | Over 2,300 | Official | Sources: Radio Okapi |
Who says what
| Who | Says | Date | Sources |
|---|---|---|---|
| DR Congo Health Authorities & Presidential Task Force | Reported over 5,000 fatalities and total confirmed cases exceeding 10,000, noting over 2,300 new cases in eastern provinces in mid-October. | Sources: AfricanewsAfricanews 2Radio Okapi | |
| Africa CDC & African Union | Confirmed Bundibugyo Ebola cases in DRC, Uganda, Kenya, and Nigeria, while supporting Kenya's response and criticizing Saudi Arabia's travel restrictions. | Sources: The Standard (Kenya)RFI | |
| Kenyan Government | Described Saudi Arabia's travel restrictions on Kenya as excessive and unjustified, demanding an immediate review while bolstering local response teams. | Sources: Daily Nation (Kenya)The Standard (Kenya)Daily Nation (Kenya) 2 | |
| Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) | Discharged all remaining confirmed Ebola patients from its Ituri treatment facility, while noting the broader outbreak continues in the region. | Sources: AfricanewsAfricanews 2 |
Summary
As of 1 November 2026, the Ebola virus outbreak originating in the Democratic Republic of the Congo has killed more than 5,000 people, with cumulative confirmed cases exceeding 10,000 across the region.
Response operations in eastern DR Congo continue to face challenges from unpaid staff strikes and security incidents, even as Médecins Sans Frontières discharged its final confirmed patients from an Ituri treatment facility. Internationally, Saudi Arabia imposed travel restrictions on Kenya, drawing criticism from Kenyan officials and Africa CDC, while tests for two suspected cases in Nigeria returned negative.
Timeline
- African health ministers hold an emergency meeting convened by the African Union as regional Ebola cases surpass 10,000 across DRC, Uganda, Kenya, and Nigeria.Sources: RFI
- DRC presidential task force reports over 2,300 new confirmed Ebola cases recorded in eastern provinces between Oct 6 and Oct 26.Sources: Radio Okapi
- MSF facility in Ituri province discharges its last confirmed Ebola patients, while Kenya confirms its ninth case.Sources: AfricanewsDW
- Government figures show DR Congo Ebola deaths exceed 5,000; an under-construction treatment center in Bafwasende is partially set on fire.Sources: AfricanewsActualite.cdBBC
- Africa CDC and Kenyan officials criticize Saudi Arabia's travel ban on Kenya, while suspected cases in Nigeria test negative.Sources: The Standard (Kenya)Daily Nation (Kenya)Reuters
Still unknown
- Whether travel bans imposed by Saudi Arabia and other countries will expand or be reviewed following criticism from African public health officials.
- The degree to which wage disputes, staffing shortages, and security attacks on care centers will disrupt response operations in eastern DR Congo.
- Whether active transmission in neighboring countries such as Kenya and Uganda can be prevented from establishing sustained local chains.