WHO warns of a record-breaking Ebola outbreak in the Congo

The current Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) is on track to become the deadliest in history, according to the World Health Organisation (WHO) director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus. He warned that the 2026 outbreak, "at its current pace," would "eclipse" the 2014-2016 occurrence, which claimed at least 11,000 lives.

The ongoing crisis, declared on May 15, 2026, has already reported over 4,300 cases and more than 2,000 deaths. The WHO aims to curb the spread within three months, but acknowledges this goal involves controlling transmission rather than ending the outbreak entirely.

Health officials believe the outbreak began in February, three months before its official declaration. Dr Mohamed Janabi, the WHO Africa director, stated at a press conference in Bunia, "We are chasing the virus, the virus is ahead of us." He attributed the delayed diagnosis to the virus's early spread and early similarity to malaria or typhoid.

This 2026 outbreak is caused by the rare Bundibugyo species of Ebola, which has only previously caused two outbreaks in 2007 and 2012. Currently, no approved vaccine or recognized therapeutic drugs exist to treat this virus. The DRC's regional instability has further complicated efforts to control the outbreak, with health workers only reaching approximately 30% of the cases.

Ebola, a rare but deadly viral disease, manifests with flu-like symptoms such as fever, headache, and tiredness within two to 21 days of infection. As the disease progresses, symptoms can include vomiting, diarrhea, and organ failure. The virus spreads through contact with infected bodily fluids like blood or vomit. The UK's medicines regulator, the MHRA, has approved the first human trials of a Bundibugyo vaccine developed by the University of Oxford, based on the same technology used in the Oxford-AstraZeneca Covid vaccine.

Three other groups are also developing separate vaccines, though they have yet to enter clinical trials. The WHO is also funding a separate clinical trial in DRC to determine if existing antiviral therapies can boost survival rates.