DR Congo Ebola outbreak: 7,258 cases, 3,510 deaths as peak passes
Synopsis
The DRC's 17th Ebola outbreak has become the deadliest in the country's history — 7,258 cases, 3,510 deaths, and a 48.4% fatality rate. The government says the peak has passed, but uneven decline across provinces, an active North Kivu surge, and 905 patients still hospitalised mean the crisis is far from over.
Key Takeaways
The DRC has recorded 7,258 confirmed Ebola cases and 3,510 deaths as of 15 September 2026 , with an overall fatality rate of 48.4% .
905 patients remain in isolation or hospitalised; 1,726 have recovered.
Government spokesperson Patrick Muyaya declared the 17th Ebola outbreak 'under control', with the peak reached in the third week of August 2026 .
Sustained transmission continues in Ituri, North Kivu , and Haut-Uele ; North Kivu is still reporting rising cases.
The outbreak spans 62 health zones across 7 provinces and is the largest and deadliest in DRC history, second only to the 2014–2016 West Africa epidemic globally.
Declared in May 2026 , the outbreak has not yet met WHO's 42-day zero-case threshold required to be declared over.
The Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) has recorded 7,258 confirmed Ebola cases across seven provinces, including 3,510 deaths and 1,726 recoveries, according to government data released on Tuesday, 15 September 2026. The overall fatality rate stands at 48.4 per cent, while 905 patients remain in isolation or hospitalised. Despite the staggering toll, health authorities say the epidemic curve is trending downward after peaking in mid-August.
Overall Trajectory and the Peak
Dieudonne Mwamba Kazadi, head of the National Institute of Public Health, said after a strategic coordination meeting in Kinshasa on Monday that the overall epidemic curve was declining and that the outbreak appeared to have crested around mid-August 2026. Government spokesperson Patrick Muyaya, citing Health Minister Roger Kamba, declared at a cabinet meeting on Friday: 'The 17th Ebola outbreak is under control, and the peak was reached at the beginning of the third week of August 2026.'
According to the government, 10 health zones that were affected before the latest phase of the outbreak have reported no new cases for at least 21 days, while transmission has slowed across several regions in the eastern province of Ituri, which remains the epicentre.
Provinces Still Under Pressure
Kazadi cautioned that the decline was uneven, with North Kivu still registering increases in new infections. Sustained transmission continues in Ituri, North Kivu, and Haut-Uele, while sporadic cases persist in Tshopo and Bas-Uele. The outbreak has now touched 62 health zones across seven provinces — Ituri, North Kivu, South Kivu, Haut-Uele, Bas-Uele, Tshopo, and Sud-Ubangi.
The spread to a seventh province and continued local flare-ups mean that, despite the government's cautiously optimistic framing, persistent risks remain on the ground.
A Historic and Devastating Outbreak
Declared in May 2026, this 17th Ebola outbreak in the DRC has become the largest and deadliest in the country's recorded history. It is also the second-largest Ebola epidemic globally, surpassed only by the 2014–2016 West Africa outbreak. The DRC has experienced more Ebola outbreaks than any other country in the world, and the scale of this one underscores the chronic fragility of health infrastructure in conflict-affected eastern provinces.
What Comes Next
Health authorities are monitoring whether the downward trend can be sustained across all affected provinces, particularly in North Kivu, where insecurity has historically complicated outbreak response. The government has not yet indicated a projected date for declaring the outbreak over, which under World Health Organization (WHO) protocols requires 42 consecutive days of zero confirmed cases — two incubation periods — after the last patient tests negative. With over 900 patients still hospitalised, that milestone remains some distance away.
Point of View
But scrutiny. A 48.4% fatality rate, 905 patients still in care, and an actively worsening North Kivu curve do not describe a contained outbreak; they describe one that has been slowed. The distinction matters because past DRC outbreaks have flared after premature optimism, particularly in eastern provinces where armed conflict disrupts contact tracing and vaccination campaigns. The spread to a seventh province is a structural warning sign that the surveillance perimeter is still porous. The real test will come when North Kivu's numbers reverse — until then, 'under control' is aspirational, not epidemiological.
NationPress
15 Sept 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
How many Ebola cases and deaths have been recorded in the DRC in 2026?
As of 15 September 2026, the DRC has recorded 7,258 confirmed Ebola cases and 3,510 deaths across seven provinces, with an overall fatality rate of 48.4%. A further 1,726 patients have recovered, and 905 remain hospitalised or in isolation.
Has the DRC Ebola outbreak peaked?
The DRC government says the outbreak peaked in the third week of August 2026, and the epidemic curve is trending downward overall. However, health officials caution the decline is uneven, with North Kivu still reporting increasing cases.
Which provinces are most affected by the Ebola outbreak?
The outbreak has spread across 62 health zones in seven provinces: Ituri, North Kivu, South Kivu, Haut-Uele, Bas-Uele, Tshopo, and Sud-Ubangi. Sustained transmission continues in Ituri, North Kivu, and Haut-Uele, while Ituri remains the epicentre.
How does the current DRC Ebola outbreak compare to previous ones?
Declared in May 2026, the 17th Ebola outbreak in the DRC is the largest and deadliest in the country's history and the second-largest globally, surpassed only by the 2014–2016 West Africa epidemic. The DRC has experienced more Ebola outbreaks than any other country.
When will the DRC Ebola outbreak be declared over?
Under WHO protocols, an Ebola outbreak is declared over after 42 consecutive days — two full incubation periods — with zero confirmed cases following the last patient's recovery or death. With over 900 patients still in care and active transmission in multiple provinces, that milestone has not yet been reached.
