Congo’s Ebola outbreak reaches 5,000 cases as it outpaces response efforts at unprecedented speed

BUNIA, Congo (AP) — The Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo has now reached 5,000 cases, according to government data released Wednesday, as authorities warn the virus is spreading at an alarming pace, outpacing response efforts in one of the country's most remote and dangerous regions. The Ministry of Health's latest figures show 5,021 cases and 2,378 deaths as of Sunday, with the epidemic raging in some of the harshest conditions imaginable, fueled by insecurity, displacement, and intense population movements.

This outbreak has claimed more lives and spread more swiftly than any other in history. Health workers in protective gear lowered a coffin containing the remains of 6-year-old Baudjo Baraka Jules, who succumbed to Ebola, in Bunia, Ituri province, eastern Congo, on Tuesday, August 18, 2026. (AP Photo/Dieudonne Dirole)

Comparatively, the outbreak spreads about three times faster than the 2014-2016 Ebola outbreak in West Africa, which remains the deadliest on record with over 11,000 deaths. World Health Organization Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus stated at a recent meeting convened by the agency that "the epidemic is far from being under control" and that the risk of further national and international spread remains high.

Safety concerns have impeded the response, as health workers have been targeted, particularly in Ituri province, the region hit hardest by the outbreak. On Monday, residents in the territory of Aru attacked a health team following a reported suspected case. The team's ambulance was set on fire and two other vehicles were damaged, according to Michael Wani, president of the Union of Cultural Associations for the Development of Ituri.