Full Breakdown
Democratic Republic of the Congo’s (DRC)’s Bundibugyo Ebola Outbreak Tops 7,000 Cases, Spreads to New Province
By Drooid · · How we work
DRC’s Largest Ebola Outbreak Surpasses 7,000 Cases
In mid-May, the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) officially confirmed an outbreak of the rare Bundibugyo species of Ebola. By September 11, DRC authorities reported 7,022 laboratory-confirmed cases and 3,398 deaths, making it the country’s largest Ebola epidemic and the second-largest on the continent after the 2014-2016 West African outbreak. At the time of reporting, 837 patients were in isolation or receiving treatment across seven provinces.
Spread to South Ubangi and Community Impact
The virus, which began in the conflict-ridden Ituri province, reached a seventh province—South Ubangi—in the northwest, bordering the Central African Republic and Congo-Brazzaville. A 23-year-old man who died on a Tuesday tested positive for Bundibugyo Ebola; he had left South Kivu on July 10, traveled abroad, and re-entered the country via South Ubangi. In Ituri’s capital Bunia, schools have implemented mandatory hand-washing, reduced class sizes to 30 pupils, and instructed children to avoid physical contact. Local mother Angele Magani expressed fear for her son’s health, noting uncertainty about the family status of other children.
Response Challenges and International Concerns
Congo’s public health institute confirmed that contact tracing for the South Ubangi case is underway, but the World Health Organization warned that shortages of trained staff, operational partners, and funding are creating a bottleneck in expanding the Ebola response as the outbreak spreads geographically.
Data Summary
- Confirmed cases: 7,022 (DRC authorities)
- Deaths: 3,398 (DRC authorities)
- Patients in isolation/treatment: 837 (DRC authorities)
- Affected provinces: seven, including newly affected South Ubangi
- Outbreak origin: Bundibugyo Ebola, DRC’s 17th Ebola epidemic
Verbatim Quotes
- “We are very worried because we don’t know which child comes from which family or what the health status of the members of that family is,” — Angele Magani — Angele Magani, mother of a schoolboy in Bunia
