DR Congo Ebola outbreak: most deaths occur before patients reach care
More than 1,900 people have died in the Democratic Republic of the Congo’s Ebola outbreak, with the majority never reaching a treatment centre, the World Health Organization (WHO) reported on 10 August 2026, according to a press release. Between 60 and 70 per cent of deaths are occurring in communities far from care, a gap now central to the response led by WHO and Congolese authorities. Dr. Mohamed Janabi, WHO Regional Director for Africa, spoke from Bunia, the epicentre of the outbreak in eastern DRC. Three months into the epidemic, the agency intends to urgently intensify its response. Too many patients are receiving treatment too late.
The outbreak was declared in Ituri province on 15 May, and Dr. Janabi has since made five visits to Bunia, the provincial capital. His latest three-day mission included visits to several treatment centres alongside Dr. Steve Ahuka, one of the Congolese leaders of the response. The outbreak is driven by the Bundibugyo virus, a particularly lethal Ebola species for which no approved vaccine currently exists. Discussions with the local transport association highlighted shortcomings in patient transport. According to WHO, half of the deaths observed among transported individuals are linked to the conditions of their care.
The concentration of healthcare capacity in Bunia is turning distance into a factor in mortality. Patients lack suitable facilities near their homes and must travel long distances, often arriving when their health is already severely compromised. The journey itself can also fuel the epidemic, as patients are not always sent directly to a treatment centre. Some are first taken home, and when they die, their bodies may be returned to their villages, multiplying contacts and infection risks. “The Bundibugyo virus continues to outpace us,” Dr. Janabi said.
The town of Aru, also in Ituri province, offers a model for a revised approach, with no new cases recorded for two weeks. After a case was detected, teams identified 159 contacts, including 121 considered suspected cases, and the response extended beyond monitoring to surrounding communities. Healthcare facilities are being established and awareness campaigns conducted so residents no longer need to travel to Bunia. “We have to protect Bunia now,” Dr. Janabi said, adding that WHO will work with Congolese authorities to build centres outside the city. The agency plans to add 400 beds dedicated to Ebola patients and another 100 for various health services.
WHO is also broadening the response beyond the healthcare system, encouraging market vendors to install handwashing stations.
“I don’t expect the central Government to do everything. I don’t expect our agencies to do everything. But if we raise awareness among market vendors, they can themselves donate a bucket or two for handwashing,” Dr. Janabi said.
The strategy shifts from concentration in Bunia toward earlier intervention closer to transmission hotspots. Dr. Janabi believes this approach could produce results in the next two or three months. He said he was leaving Bunia very optimistic, though the figures underline the current urgency.