On May 15, 2026, The World Health Organization (WHO) announced it is rapidly scaling up support to the Government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo following confirmation of an outbreak of Ebola Bundibugyo in the country’s north-eastern Ituri Province.  

Laboratory analysis conducted by the National Institute of Biomedical Research (INRB), the country’s reference laboratory in the capital Kinshasa, confirmed the Ebola outbreak caused by the Bundibugyo species in 8 of 13 samples collected from suspected cases linked to a cluster of severe illness and deaths reported in Mongbwalu and Rwampara health zones in Ituri Province. The Bundibugyo species was first identified in 2007 in Bundibugyo district in western Uganda, during which 131 cases were reported with 42 deaths (case fatality rate of 32%).  

In the current outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, a total of 80 community deaths suspected to be due to Ebola Bundibugyo have been reported so far. Patients presented with symptoms including fever, generalized body pain, weakness, vomiting and, in some cases, bleeding. Several cases deteriorated rapidly and died. Given the uncertainties and severity of the illness, there is concern about the scale of transmission in affected communities.  

A WHO mission including the WHO representative, the emergency preparedness and response team had already been deployed in Ituri  to support the provincial authorities with investigations that led to the confirmation of the outbreak in the two health zones. The team is also working with the national and provincial health authorities to strengthen outbreak control measures and prevent further spread of the virus. National authorities have activated emergency coordination mechanisms and deployed additional multidisciplinary rapid response teams to affected areas.  

Additional WHO experts in epidemiology, infection prevention and control, laboratory diagnostics, clinical care, logistics, risk communication and community engagement are being mobilized to reinforce the frontline response. Priority actions include strengthening disease surveillance, active case finding, contact tracing, infection prevention and control in health facilities, expanding access to safe care, laboratory testing capacity, ensuring safe burials and community sensitization to prevent further spread of the disease.