The Ebola death toll in the Democratic Republic of Congo has passed 5,000, according to government data announced on Friday, making the outbreak the deadliest ever recorded in the country. More than 10,000 people have been infected since the outbreak was declared in May, and health authorities say they have not yet found a way to bring it under control.
The milestone was reported on Friday by government figures carried by international news agencies. It comes six months into an outbreak that has now reached eight of the country’s 26 provinces and spread to three other African countries.
What happened
Government data showed on Friday that deaths from the outbreak had risen past 5,000. The total number of infections has passed 10,000 since the outbreak was declared in May, and many deaths have occurred outside treatment centres, in communities where cases were found late or where care could not be reached in time.
The outbreak is caused by the rare Bundibugyo strain of the Ebola virus. There are no approved treatments or vaccines for this strain, which is one of the main reasons the response has struggled. Research is continuing, and a trial known as Tumaini is testing whether a vaccine used against the Zaire strain of Ebola can offer protection in the current outbreak.
The World Health Organization said on 28 October that the outbreak had reached 10,141 cases with nearly 5,000 deaths at that point, and that 50 to 80 new confirmed cases were still being reported every day. More than 2,600 people had recovered by then, but with deaths running at close to half of confirmed cases, officials described the situation as still very serious.
Why the virus spread so fast
Delayed detection, conflict and strained health services have helped the virus spread more rapidly than in past outbreaks, according to the reporting from Al Jazeera, Arab News and CGTN. The outbreak was first detected in Ituri province in the north-east of the country, and it has since expanded across the east, including areas that are hard to reach because of insecurity and displacement.
In September, an independent scientific review convened by the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention reported progress in some areas, including falling cases and deaths in parts of Ituri. But the same review cautioned that transmission was not consistently under control, with cases rising in some health zones, particularly in North Kivu, and with persistent deaths in communities and gaps in contact tracing.
Frontline health workers have also paid a heavy price. The Africa CDC paid tribute to a doctor who died of Ebola in Beni, in North Kivu province, underlining the risks faced by the staff running treatment centres in the conflict-affected east.
How large is this outbreak?
This is the 17th Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo’s history, and it is already the largest the country has ever recorded. It is also the second-largest Ebola outbreak ever recorded anywhere in the world.
The largest remains the 2014-2016 epidemic in West Africa, which infected more than 28,600 people and killed more than 11,000 across Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone. The current outbreak, with more than 10,000 infections and more than 5,000 deaths, is now second on that list, and it is still growing.
Spread beyond DR Congo
The outbreak has now spread beyond the Democratic Republic of Congo. Cases have been reported in Uganda and Kenya in East Africa, and last week Nigeria became the fourth African country to report a case, extending the outbreak’s geographic reach to West Africa.
The spread to neighbouring countries is one reason governments outside Africa have begun tightening travel rules. Some governments have been restricting travel to affected countries or quarantining travellers who have recently visited or passed through them.
Travel measures announced on Friday
On Friday, Saudi Arabia suspended travel to and entry from Kenya, according to the Saudi Press Agency. The measures include suspending travel by Saudi citizens to Kenya and a pause on issuing all types of visas to travellers from the country. Entry is also prohibited for travellers arriving from Kenya, including those transiting through third countries who have stayed in Kenya or other Ebola-affected countries within the previous 21 days.
This was not the kingdom’s first such step. In June, Saudi Arabia suspended travel to and entry from the Democratic Republic of Congo, Uganda and South Sudan. The Central African Republic has also tightened border controls, with daily checks on travellers crossing the Oubangui River frontier with the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Why it matters
The crossing of the 5,000-death mark matters for three reasons. First, it confirms that this is now the deadliest Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo’s history, in a country that has faced the virus more often than any other. Second, the absence of an approved vaccine or treatment for the Bundibugyo strain leaves health workers dependent on early detection, isolation, contact tracing and supportive care, all of which are harder in conflict-affected areas. Third, the spread to Kenya, Uganda and Nigeria shows that an outbreak that began in one province can become a regional problem within months, with consequences for travel, trade and health systems far beyond the epicentre.
Timeline
- May 2026: The Ebola outbreak is declared in the Democratic Republic of Congo, caused by the Bundibugyo strain. The virus is first detected in Ituri province.
- June 2026: Saudi Arabia suspends travel to and entry from the Democratic Republic of Congo, Uganda and South Sudan.
- September 2026: An Africa CDC scientific review reports progress in parts of Ituri but warns that cases are rising in some health zones, particularly in North Kivu, with gaps in contact tracing.
- 28 October 2026: The World Health Organization reports 10,141 cases and nearly 5,000 deaths, with 50 to 80 new confirmed cases a day and more than 2,600 recoveries. A Congolese health institute report puts the figures at 10,274 cases and 4,992 deaths as of the same date.
- 30 October 2026: Government data announced on Friday show the death toll has passed 5,000, with more than 10,000 infections in total.
- 31 October 2026: Saudi Arabia suspends travel to and entry from Kenya, and international outlets report the 5,000-death milestone.
What happens next
Health authorities face a race between contact tracing and new infections. With 50 to 80 new confirmed cases a day reported in late October, the outbreak will only slow when cases are found earlier, contacts are followed up fully, and fewer people die outside treatment centres. The Tumaini trial results will also be watched closely, because a vaccine that works against the Bundibugyo strain would change the response entirely. Until then, travel restrictions such as Saudi Arabia’s Kenya suspension are likely to widen if cases appear in further countries, and neighbouring states are expected to keep border screening in place.
Frequently asked questions
How many people have died in the DR Congo Ebola outbreak?
More than 5,000 people have died, according to government data announced on Friday 30 October 2026, with more than 10,000 infections recorded since the outbreak was declared in May.
Which strain of Ebola is causing this outbreak?
The Bundibugyo strain. There are no approved treatments or vaccines for this strain, although research, including the Tumaini trial, is under way.
Where has the outbreak spread?
Eight of the Democratic Republic of Congo’s 26 provinces are affected, and cases have also been reported in Uganda, Kenya and Nigeria.
Is this the largest Ebola outbreak ever?
It is the largest ever recorded in the Democratic Republic of Congo and the second-largest in the world, behind the 2014-2016 West Africa epidemic, which infected more than 28,600 people and killed more than 11,000.
What travel restrictions are in place?
On Friday, Saudi Arabia suspended travel to and entry from Kenya, including a pause on visas and an entry ban covering travellers who stayed in Kenya or other affected countries within the previous 21 days. In June it took the same step for the Democratic Republic of Congo, Uganda and South Sudan.
Is there a vaccine for Bundibugyo Ebola?
No approved vaccine exists for the Bundibugyo strain. A trial is testing whether a vaccine used against the Zaire strain offers protection, but no result has been announced.
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