Ebola deaths pass 5,300 in DRC as Africa CDC opposes travel bans on Kenya
Is it spreading beyond DR Congo?
Spread confirmed
As of 3 November 2026, Kenyan health officials have confirmed nine Ebola cases in Kenya, while suspected cases in Nigeria tested negative. DRC government data and international reporting also indicate cases recorded in other African countries.
Sources: DWAfricanewsReutersDaily Nation (Kenya)Key figures
| Figure | Value | Basis | As of | Sources |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cumulative Ebola deaths in DRC Africanews reported 5,372 deaths as of 30 October based on new data, while Euronews reported nearly 5,400 and Al Jazeera reported over 5,300. | 5,372 | Press reports | Sources: AfricanewsEuronewsAl Jazeera | |
| Total Ebola cases in DRC BBC reported 10,351 total cases in the DRC, while regional reporting noted cases passing 10,000 across Africa. | 10,351 | Press reports | Sources: BBCThe EastAfrican | |
| Case fatality rate in DRC Reported by Africanews based on data compiled through 30 October 2026. | 51.6% | Press reports | Sources: Africanews | |
| Confirmed Ebola cases in Kenya Stated by Kenyan health officials as reported by DW. | 9 | Official | Sources: DW | |
| New confirmed cases in eastern DRC (6–26 Oct) Stated by the DRC presidential task force report covering North Kivu, Ituri, and surrounding eastern areas. | Over 2,300 | Official | Sources: Radio Okapi |
Who says what
| Who | Says | Date | Sources |
|---|---|---|---|
| Africa CDC | Called for the immediate removal of travel restrictions on Kenya, characterizing them as unjustified, and supported Kenya's outbreak response. | Sources: Africa CDCThe Standard (Kenya) | |
| Kenyan Government | Criticized Saudi Arabia's travel ban on Kenyan travelers as excessive and unjustified while managing a 42-day response countdown. | Sources: Daily Nation (Kenya)Daily Nation (Kenya) 2The Star (Kenya)The Star (Kenya) 2 | |
| DRC Presidential Task Force | Notified public health authorities of more than 2,300 new confirmed Ebola cases in eastern provinces between 6 and 26 October. | Sources: Radio Okapi | |
| Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) | Discharged its last confirmed Ebola patients from its Ituri province facility, noting that the broader outbreak in DRC continues. | Sources: AfricanewsEuronews | |
| Journaliste en Danger (JED) | Urged public authorities to protect journalists and ensure transparent access to reliable outbreak information in the DRC. | Sources: Actualite.cd |
Summary
As of 3 November 2026, the Ebola outbreak caused by the Bundibugyo virus in the Democratic Republic of the Congo has claimed over 5,300 lives, with total reported cases exceeding 10,000. Data reported as of late October shows 5,372 deaths in the DRC with a case fatality rate of 51.6%, alongside more than 2,300 new confirmed cases recorded across eastern Congolese provinces between 6 and 26 October.
Outside the DRC, Kenya has confirmed nine Ebola cases and is currently undergoing a 42-day response countdown period. Travel restrictions imposed on Kenya by Saudi Arabia have drawn sharp criticism from Kenyan officials and Africa CDC, who described the measures as unjustified and called for their immediate removal. Meanwhile, field operations in the DRC face severe hurdles, including unreleased donor funding, strikes over unpaid healthcare worker wages, and security incidents such as an arson attack on an Ebola treatment center in Bafwasende.
Timeline
- A Congolese presidential task force report records more than 2,300 new confirmed Ebola cases notified in eastern provinces over a three-week span.Sources: Radio Okapi
- Kenyan health officials confirm a ninth Ebola case in Kenya, while MSF discharges the last confirmed Ebola patients from its treatment facility in Ituri province.Sources: DWAfricanews
- An Ebola treatment center under construction in Bafwasende is partially set on fire following the mob-justice killing of a healthcare worker one week earlier.Sources: Actualite.cd
- Testing confirms that samples from two suspected Ebola cases in northeast Nigeria returned negative.Sources: Reuters
- Media and investigative reports show the DRC Ebola death toll reaching 5,372 amid reports of severe response funding shortages and wage strikes.Sources: AfricanewsActualite.cdDaily Nation (Kenya)
- Africa CDC calls for an end to travel restrictions on Kenya as Kenya progresses through its 42-day response monitoring period.Sources: Africa CDCDaily Nation (Kenya)
Still unknown
- Whether two-thirds of unreleased donor response pledges will reach field teams in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
- The risk of further onward transmission in Kenya during its 42-day monitoring countdown period.
- How ongoing wage delays, worker strikes, and security attacks on treatment facilities will affect containment in eastern DRC.
- Whether vaccine access and supply gaps highlighted in official reports will be resolved for high-risk populations.