Health & Public Health
DR Congo Ebola still spreading in North Kivu, WHO says
The Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo is still spreading in North Kivu despite improvements in some other areas, the World Health Organization said Tuesday.
WHO official Olivier le Polain said authorities had recorded 7,200 cases in seven provinces with 3,475 deaths as of September 12. Congolese authorities have described the outbreak as the country's worst Ebola epidemic.
DR Congo's government indicated at the weekend that the outbreak may have peaked in August, but le Polain said the WHO was still seeing hotspots. He said new cases and deaths per week had doubled in North Kivu over the past two weeks, and that the province accounted for about 45 percent of new cases recorded last week.
Le Polain said there was progress in parts of Ituri province, including its capital Bunia, and signs of slower transmission in some areas there. The outbreak was first recorded in Ituri in May.
He said no new case had been registered in South Kivu since the end of May. But a case in South Ubangi meant Ebola was now present in seven provinces, and 30 to 40 new cases were being reported each week in Upper Uele.
The current outbreak is caused by the Bundibugyo strain. The earlier published story reported that there is no approved vaccine or treatment for that strain, though several treatments and vaccines are being tested.
Update
WHO official Olivier le Polain said authorities had recorded 7,200 cases and 3,475 deaths as of September 12.
Le Polain said new cases and deaths per week had doubled in North Kivu over the previous two weeks.
The WHO said North Kivu accounted for about 45 percent of new cases recorded last week.
Le Polain said South Ubangi's case meant Ebola was now in seven provinces, and Upper Uele was reporting 30 to 40 new cases each week.
Source note: AFP news report published on 15 September 2026 at 12:20:22 UTC.
Update
Congolese authorities reported 7,022 Ebola cases since the outbreak began.
Authorities reported 3,398 deaths and 1,671 recoveries.
Government spokesman Patrick Muyaya said the outbreak peak was reached at the beginning of the third week of August and that indicators show a decrease in cases.
Muyaya said 10 of 61 affected health zones had recorded no new cases for at least 21 days.
Ebola has been detected in schools in Ituri after the post-summer return to classes.
Source note: AFP news report published on 12 September 2026 at 22:49:17 UTC.
Update
The World Health Organization said it needed 5,000 extra health workers for the Ebola response.
The WHO said it had nearly 1,400 beds across 59 treatment centres and estimated it needed another 1,600 beds.
Organisations tackling the outbreak say funding is largely insufficient to monitor and isolate cases.
Source note: AFP news report published on 11 September 2026 at 12:31:12 UTC.
Update
Congolese authorities reported 3,310 deaths among 6,843 confirmed cases in the current outbreak.
Acting governor Jean-Rene Galekwa said the patient had travelled through Rwanda, Uganda, Ituri and by boat on the Congo River after developing symptoms in Kisangani.
Galekwa said 38 contacts had been identified and placed in quarantine.
The outbreak is caused by the Bundibugyo strain, for which the item says there is currently no approved vaccine or treatment.
Source note: AFP news report published on 11 September 2026 at 11:36:19 UTC.
Update
The seventh province was identified as Sud-Ubangui, in northwestern DR Congo.
Sud-Ubangui borders the Central African Republic and Congo-Brazzaville.
Acting governor Jean-Rene Galekwa said an Ebola patient died there after travelling across several provinces, including some without previous cases.
Source note: AFP news report published on 11 September 2026 at 10:45:37 UTC.
Uncertainty notes
The supplied material does not provide a detailed provincial breakdown for all 7,200 recorded cases.
Source
AFP news report published on .