Congo's Ebola outbreak has spread to an eighth province and passed 9,400 cases and 4,500 deaths, authorities said on Sunday, making it the deadliest in the country's history. It is caused by the Bundibugyo virus, a strain with no approved vaccine or treatment.
The World Health Organization says some areas are improving, but the virus keeps moving into new territory.
Where is the outbreak now?
On October 18, Congo's Health Ministry reported two cases, including one death, in Nord-Ubangi province, on the border with the Central African Republic, the AP reported. Both patients are men in their 20s.
| Province | Status |
|---|---|
| Ituri | Epicentre, nearly three-quarters of confirmed cases |
| North Kivu, South Kivu | Newer hot spots |
| Haut-Uélé, Bas-Uele, Sud-Ubangi | Affected |
| Nord-Ubangi | Newest, confirmed October 18 |
Sixty-six health zones have been affected.
"We see pockets of Ebola generally going down, but unfortunately geographically it's spreading out," WHO Africa director Mohamed Yakub Janabi said in Beni on Friday.
How big is this outbreak?
| Date | Cases | Deaths | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| June 27 | 1,295 confirmed | 362 | WHO-linked data |
| October 2 | 8,463 | 4,082 | WHO |
| October 18 | 9,400+ | 4,500+ | Congo authorities |
The WHO has warned the outbreak could surpass the 2014–2016 West African epidemic, which killed more than 11,000 people.
Why is the Bundibugyo strain a problem?
Most Ebola tools were built for the Zaire strain. In May the WHO advised against using Ervebo, the Zaire vaccine, citing insufficient evidence against Bundibugyo.
Three candidate vaccines, from IAVI, Moderna and Oxford, were fast-tracked in June, and trials of treatments including remdesivir are planned. None is approved yet.
Has Ebola spread to other countries?
| Country | Cases | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Congo | 9,400+ | Ongoing |
| Uganda | 20 (2 deaths) | Declared free in August |
| France | 1 | — |
| Kenya | 7 (1 death) | Linked cluster, no community spread reported |
Why is it so hard to stop?
Doctors Without Borders has compared the response to "fighting a megafire." Responders cite:
- Rebel violence that blocks access to patients
- Attacks on health teams and widespread mistrust
- Mass movement of displaced people
- Poor roads and communications, especially in the north
- People dying at home instead of seeking care
What to watch
The Central African Republic. Nord-Ubangi borders CAR, which has no confirmed cases yet. Armed violence there has pushed thousands into Congolese border areas.
Vaccine trials. Any early data on the candidate Bundibugyo vaccines could change the response.
Case trends in Ituri. A sustained fall at the epicentre would be the clearest sign the outbreak is turning.
