More than 3,600 confirmed cases and 1,587 deaths reported as of July 30; WHO says insecurity and population movement are complicating response efforts
Geneva (Switzerland), August 2, 2026, BNN Web Staff: The World Health Organization (WHO) has warned that the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DR Congo) is continuing to worsen, with infections spreading to more areas and the risk of the disease crossing into neighbouring countries increasing.
According to the WHO, the outbreak has become the largest Ebola outbreak ever reported in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
As of July 30, 2026, authorities had recorded 3,605 confirmed cases, including 1,587 deaths. The outbreak’s crude case fatality ratio stands at about 44 per cent, highlighting the severity of the public health emergency.
The WHO said the continuing rise in infections, the expansion of the outbreak into new geographical areas and the high number of deaths indicated that the situation remained highly volatile.
During epidemiological week 30, the latest week for which complete data was available, 567 new cases and 296 deaths were reported—the highest weekly totals recorded since the outbreak began.
The health agency said the pace of transmission had placed additional pressure on response operations, while insecurity, population displacement and the movement of people were making containment efforts more difficult.
Cross-border travel and population mobility have also raised concerns about the possibility of the virus spreading beyond the affected areas and reaching neighbouring countries.
The WHO stressed that the evolving situation required continued surveillance, stronger response measures and coordinated efforts to prevent further transmission and contain the outbreak.
