World Health Organization officials reported that the Bundibugyo virus outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo has reached 6,757 confirmed cases and 3,267 deaths. While transmission is slowing in Ituri province, cases are surging in North Kivu, where weekly numbers have doubled over the past two weeks.
Geographic Expansion and Total Toll Across Congo Provinces
The rare Bundibugyo virus outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo has expanded to 61 health zones across six out of 26 provinces, according to an update issued by the World Health Organization. The affected regions now include Bas-Uélé, Haut-Uélé, Ituri, North Kivu, South Kivu, and Tshopo. As of September 7, 2026, the cumulative total reached 6,757 confirmed cases and 3,267 deaths inside the country, resulting in a crude case fatality ratio of 48.3 percent.
The transmission dynamics remain variable across affected locations, with evidence of ongoing geographical expansion and sustained increase in cases in some health zones. The continuously high CFR highlights the seriousness of the disease and persistent challenges in timely case detection, access to early and adequate patient care, and effective interruption of transmission. Delayed detection of cases continues to increase the risk of further spread within households, communities, and healthcare settings.
International transmission remains limited but present. Out of the global total of 6,778 confirmed cases, 20 were reported in Uganda and one in France, alongside two cases diagnosed in the Congo before being treated in Germany. Overall, 3,269 deaths have been reported, including two in Uganda. At least 1,611 patients have recovered worldwide, including 1,590 in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, 18 in Uganda, two in Germany, and one in France. The sustained level of transmission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo continues to pose a risk of cross-border spread. Health screening and surveillance activities remain operational at airports, ports, and official land border crossings; however, travel through informal crossing routes persists and may facilitate virus exportation, importation, and subsequent transmission. In this context, strengthened cross-border coordination, together with ongoing surveillance and preparedness efforts, remains critical to limiting further regional spread and supporting an effective public health response.
Contrasting Trajectories: Ituri Slows While North Kivu Surges
Speaking at a press briefing at agency headquarters in Geneva, World Health Organization Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus described a fragmented crisis where virus behavior varies sharply by region. The WHO chief told reporters that the sheer scale of the affected territory makes it impossible to view the crisis as a unified event, noting that it is one of many outbreaks in many places.
“We are now starting to see encouraging signs that we are gaining ground in the most affected parts of Ituri province. Transmission is going down.”
Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director-General, World Health Organization
Tedros added that South Kivu has reported no new cases since May 29, 2026. However, the gains in Ituri and South Kivu contrast sharply with the situation in North Kivu province, where weekly case counts have climbed from about 100 to more than 200 over a two-week window, with Tedros noting that cases are rising fast.
Ituri continues to be the epicentre of the outbreak, accounting for 5,406 confirmed cases since the start of the outbreak, including 1,114 new confirmed cases reported in the previous 21 days as of September 7. North Kivu is the second most affected province, with a cumulative number of 1,066 confirmed cases, including 453 reported in the last 21 days as of September 7. North Kivu has also recorded one of the highest CFR figures (65.4%) observed in this outbreak, prompting ongoing investigations to better understand the factors contributing to this elevated mortality rate.
Surveillance Pressures and Contact Tracing Challenges
The addition of 963 confirmed cases and 481 deaths since late August reflects both active community transmission and intensified diagnostic efforts. While part of this increase may be attributable to strengthened surveillance activities, enhanced laboratory testing, improved diagnostic capacity, and reconciliation of previously unreported data, the continued growth in both cases and deaths also reflects sustained community transmission and significant geographic expansion of the outbreak.
Health screening and surveillance operations remain active at official airports, ports, and land borders. Yet informal travel routes persist, complicating containment efforts. Surveillance teams must also manage a swelling pool of exposed individuals as the outbreak expands. As of September 7, authorities successfully monitored 85.3 percent of identified contacts during the previous 24 hours, tracking 21,359 people out of 24,719 requiring follow-up.
Cautious Optimism and Realities on the Ground
Public health leaders caution that conquering the epidemic will require sustained effort over a prolonged period. Maria Van Kerkhove, WHO’s director for epidemic and pandemic management, urged patience regarding epidemiological indicators.
“We can be cautiously optimistic about what is happening, but I think we need to be realistic about the road that’s ahead of us. Looking at trends takes time.”
Maria Van Kerkhove, Director for Epidemic and Pandemic Management, World Health Organization
While interventions are lowering transmission in Ituri, the rapid escalation in North Kivu demonstrates how quickly the outbreak can shift, keeping response teams on high alert across the six affected provinces.
