Ebola death toll passes 5000 in Democratic Republic of Congo

More than 5,000 people have died in an ongoing Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo, according to government data reported by BBC News, Al Jazeera, the South China Morning Post, and Sky News. BBC News and Al Jazeera reported that over 10,000 people have been infected since the outbreak was declared in May. The South China Morning Post noted that the government ministry of health recorded 5,026 deaths out of 10,351 cases. [1][2][3][4]

The current outbreak is the deadliest in the history of the nation, public health officials told BBC News. BBC News reported that eight of the country's 26 provinces are affected, with the epicentre remaining in the Ituri province in the north-east. Al Jazeera reported that the outbreak is caused by the rare Bundibugyo strain of the virus, for which there are no approved vaccines or treatments. [1][2]

Ituri province is a conflict zone, which makes containing the virus more difficult, BBC News reported. The South China Morning Post reported that about 80 per cent of new cases come from outside the chain of monitored contacts, and many people have died without receiving treatment. The South China Morning Post noted a lethality rate of nearly 50 per cent, while BBC News placed the case fatality rate at 48.6 per cent. [1][3]

Initial cases of the disease were reported on 14 May 2026 in Ituri Province, making this the 17th Ebola outbreak in the country. Cases have also been recorded in other African nations. As FTMQ News reported earlier, Nigeria confirmed its first case of Ebola and Kenya confirmed its ninth case as the regional spread continued. [1][3][9][11]