WHO reports 7,200 Ebola cases and 3,475 deaths in DR Congo

September 15, 2026 at 04:35 PM2 min

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The World Health Organization reported 7,200 Ebola cases and 3,475 deaths in the Democratic Republic of the Congo as of September 12. The outbreak spans 62 health zones across seven provinces despite unprecedented response efforts. Cases in North Kivu nearly doubled over the past two weeks to over 200 per week.

Key Facts

As of September 12, the DRC reported 7,200 Ebola cases and 3,475 deaths across 62 health zones in seven provinces.
Ituri province recorded about 300 new confirmed cases and 160 confirmed deaths last week, accounting for 48% of national cases.
Weekly cases in North Kivu nearly doubled from about 100 to over 200 in the past two weeks, now representing about 45% of total cases.
South Kivu has detected no new confirmed cases since late May.
The outbreak was declared on May 15 after 246 suspected cases and 65 deaths were reported in Ituri province.

Outbreak Scale

The WHO reported 7,200 Ebola cases and 3,475 deaths in the DRC as of September 12, just four months after the outbreak was declared. The outbreak spans 62 health zones across seven provinces, covering a wide geographic area. WHO's Polain noted the epidemiological situation is not homogeneous across affected regions. The outbreak was declared on May 15 after 246 suspected cases and 65 deaths were reported in Ituri province.

Regional Trends

Ituri province recorded about 300 new confirmed cases and 160 confirmed deaths last week, accounting for 48% of national cases. While Ituri's share of cases is declining over time, North Kivu is detecting more cases. Weekly cases in North Kivu nearly doubled from about 100 to over 200 in the past two weeks. About 45% of total cases are now reported from North Kivu, particularly from Beni and the Butembo-Katwa area. South Kivu has detected no new confirmed cases since late May.

Response and History

The WHO supports the DRC government in all phases of the response, including disease surveillance, bed capacity expansion, clinical management, logistics, and infection prevention. The Bundibugyo Ebola strain that emerged in May has no approved treatment or vaccine, according to health officials. Ebola first appeared in 1976 in simultaneous outbreaks in Nzara, Sudan, and Yambuku, DRC. The 2014-2017 West Africa outbreak infected 30,000 people and killed more than 11,000 in Guinea, Liberia, and Sierra Leone.