22.08.2026 10:10
The rare Bundibugyo strain of the Ebola virus, which emerged in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, has claimed more than 2,000 lives in 3 months, becoming the fastest and deadliest outbreak in the country's history. Delays in diagnosing cases, faulty test kits, and community denial fuel the spread of the virus, while the absence of an approved vaccine or treatment increases the scale of the disaster. The WHO has raised the alarm over the risk of the most severe outbreak globally.
The Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) is fighting the most devastating and fastest-moving Ebola outbreak in its history. In just three months, the outbreak has killed more than 2,000 people, and cases cannot be stopped. Caused by the rare 'Bundibugyo' strain, for which there is no approved vaccine or treatment, the outbreak risks surpassing the 2014-2016 disaster in West Africa.
Spreading at an alarming rate since May, the virus is the 17th Ebola crisis recorded in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. According to the latest official government data, 2,325 people have died out of 4,945 cases. The outbreak has already surpassed the 2018-2020 crisis, which recorded 3,481 cases and 2,299 deaths, becoming the country's deadliest picture.
RECORD CASE AND DEATH NUMBERS: WHO RAISES ALARM According to the World Health Organization (WHO), the virus is transmitting and killing people at a higher rate than all previous outbreaks in history. In the last 24 hours, 101 new cases and 33 deaths were recorded. While 730 people remain in hospitals and quarantine, the number of survivors has exceeded 1,000. The WHO reported that the virus is spreading at an extraordinary speed, with a weekly record broken last week with 579 cases and 304 deaths. Officials fear the outbreak could surpass the 2014-2016 West African epidemic, which killed 11,000 people.
THE CAUSE OF THE OUTBREAK: RARE 'BUNDIBUGYO' STRAIN Behind the disaster spreading across six provinces in eastern Congo is the Bundibugyo virus, one of the rare types of Ebola. There is currently no approved vaccine or treatment against this type. Vaccine and treatment trials are ongoing in Ituri province, the epicenter of the outbreak. Trish Newport, emergency coordinator for Doctors Without Borders (MSF), emphasized that some families in Ituri have lost up to 15 relatives, stressing the need to rapidly scale up the response.
People wearing protective clothing lower the coffin containing the body of 6-year-old Baudjo Baraka Jules, who died of Ebola, into a grave. 3-WEEK DELAY IN DIAGNOSIS LED TO THE EXPLOSION The first known victim of the outbreak was a healthcare worker stationed in Bunia who died on April 24 with high fever, vomiting, and severe bleeding. However, it took a full three weeks for local authorities to officially declare the outbreak and call for an international emergency. Experts believe the virus began spreading in the mining town of Mongbwalu in February, long before the official announcement on May 15.
FALSE TEST KITS MISLED HEALTHCARE WORKERS Dr. Anne Ancia, WHO representative in Bunia, announced that Ebola tests on early cases came back negative. She stated the reason was that the kits they had could only detect the Zaire strain, which is responsible for 15 of the country's 17 outbreaks. When tests came back negative, health teams thought the condition was malaria or a salmonella infection. However, when patients continued to have unstoppable bleeding, samples were sent to advanced laboratories, and it was determined that the cause of the disaster was the Bundibugyo strain.
THREATS, DENIAL, AND PRESSURE ON HEALTHCARE WORKERS Teams fighting the outbreak are struggling with healthcare workers on strike over unpaid wages, threats from armed rebel groups, poor road conditions, and misinformation among the public. In Ituri and North Kivu provinces, a segment of the population does not believe in the existence of the disease. Hélène Akilimali, a cocoa seller in the region, reacted to the indifference, saying, "Ebola is a real disease. People need to stop fooling themselves."
BEAT EBOLA, STARTED RECEIVING DEATH THREATS Etienne Ezo, a 49-year-old nurse who contracted the virus while working at the hospital in Bunia, survived after a difficult isolation process. Describing his experience, Ezo said he faced public backlash despite surviving: "Because they know I work at the hospital, they think I'm part of this fabricated game. Every day, on my way to work, I'm threatened on the street, and I get angry messages on my phone. People believe it's a fake disease invented to destroy them."
THE VIRUS CAN LURK IN THE BODY FOR MONTHS Nurse Etienne Ezo has been included in the 18-month 'Survivors Program' initiated by the WHO that tracks people who have recovered from the Bundibugyo type. Even after a patient fully recovers, the Ebola virus can hide in the eyes, central nervous system, and testicles for months or even years. This condition can cause the disease to relapse or be transmitted sexually later on.