Six months after an outbreak was declared in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the Bundibugyo virus epidemic has surpassed 11,000 confirmed cases and 5,400 deaths.
Ebola Cases Surge in North Kivu While Children Face High Fatality Rates
The epidemic has grown into the largest Ebola outbreak in the country’s history. It is the second-largest globally.
Government data through November 10 shows a case fatality rate of 48.9 percent, according to Xinhua.
Infections declined in Ituri Province. Cases in North Kivu surged by 31 percent, Xinhua reported.
Conflict and insecurity are making it harder for health teams to reach communities affected by the #Ebola outbreak in the DRC. Six months into the outbreak, most early epicentres have been brought under control. Yet the outbreak is expanding geographically, particularly in areas…
Children account for more than a quarter of confirmed cases and one third of deaths. Seven in 10 children under five with confirmed Ebola have died, the WHO Regional Office for Africa stated.
Data from Unicef indicates that children accounted for 35 percent of deaths recorded through November 4. Those under five represented 21 percent of all deaths.
Six months ago, I declared the Bundibugyo virus #Ebola outbreak in the #DRC a Public Health Emergency of International Concern. Since then, over 11,000 cases and 5400 deaths have been recorded across eight provinces, making this the largest and deadliest Ebola outbreak in the… pic.twitter.com/v1TncZkxJs
Eighty percent of new Ebola cases are detected outside official health surveillance systems, according to the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC).
Doctors Without Borders (MSF) reported that most admissions to treatment centers are surprise cases.
“While that remains the situation, it is an absolute sign that we do not have this under control. You should not have the majority of your cases coming out of nowhere,” said Anna Halford, emergency coordinator for Doctors Without Borders.
Armed Conflict and Attacks on Healthcare Disrupt Response Efforts
Armed conflict across the eastern region paralyzes response efforts.
Special Briefing on Ebola Outbreak Response | Nov. 12 2026 https://t.co/hzU3LI8A4v
The World Health Organization has documented over 80 attacks on healthcare since the outbreak began, the WHO Regional Office for Africa noted.
An assault in Cantine-Aloya in North Kivu killed 66 civilians, according to The Straits Times.
Three health workers died in the attack. Operations were disrupted, leaving more than 1,000 contacts lost to follow-up and three confirmed patients unaccounted for.
Julien Harneis, United Nations Senior Ebola Response Coordinator, said that more people have been killed by Allied Democratic Forces fighters than by the virus in recent days, UN News reported.
Insecurity compounds existing strains. Health worker strikes over months of unpaid salaries have left confirmed patients without care, as detailed by The Associated Press.
Chikwe Ihekweazu said that authorities have witnessed strikes on medical infrastructure. Raids target local populations, violence is directed at health professionals, and nurses involved in burials face fatalities.
Unaccounted Funds and Vaccine Trials Shape Medical Response
Upwards of $700 million dedicated to Ebola relief remains unaccounted for among the entities handling the funds, the Africa CDC said.
“[There are] surveillance teams who have got motorbikes but don't have the fuel to travel. Community awareness workers who haven't been paid. A lot of healthcare workers haven't been paid,” said Anna Halford, emergency coordinator for Doctors Without Borders.
Two experimental vaccines designed to protect against the Bundibugyo virus were recommended for inclusion in the ongoing Tumaini clinical trial in the DRC, Xinhua reported.
British epidemiologist Neil Ferguson modeled the outbreak in real time. He estimated that only about half of all actual cases are being detected, suggesting transmission could persist for another year, The Straits Times stated.
Earlier coverage: Ebola Outbreak in DR Congo Remains Out of Control, Charity Warns
