NAIROBI, July 27 2026 — At least 1,405 people have died from Ebola in the Democratic Republic of Congo since late April, as the outbreak continues to spread, according to figures released on Sunday by the country’s health authorities, reported German Press Agency (dpa).
Laboratory-confirmed infections have risen to 3,200, authorities said.
The current case fatality rate stands at 43.9 per cent, meaning that nearly half of all confirmed infections have been fatal.
Health experts believe the true number of infections is likely to be significantly higher because many cases may have gone undetected or unreported.
Authorities believe the virus circulated for weeks unnoticed in eastern Congo earlier this year.
Ongoing conflict involving armed groups and widespread mistrust of aid workers have complicated efforts to contain the outbreak.
Ebola infections have so far been recorded in five of the country’s 26 provinces, with the north-eastern province of Ituri identified as the centre of the outbreak.
Ituri borders Uganda and South Sudan. Uganda has also reported Ebola cases, including at least two deaths.
Ebola is a life-threatening disease transmitted through direct contact with infected people, particularly their bodily fluids.
The current outbreak has proved especially difficult to contain because there is no approved vaccine or targeted treatment for the Bundibugyo strain of the virus.
Clinical trials of two antiviral treatment candidates began in early July.
The outbreak is now the third-deadliest Ebola epidemic on record by number of deaths.
More than 11,000 people died during the 2014-2015 West Africa outbreak, while about 2,300 people died during the 2018-2020 outbreak in eastern Congo.
— BERNAMA
