Bunia General Hospital workers launched a new strike Wednesday, blocking access over weeks of little or no pay and threatening Ebola response operations in eastern Congo.
80% of new infections are coming from unknown transmission chains, the WHO said, making any disruption more dangerous as responders struggle to track how far the outbreak has spread.
2,011 cases and 754 deaths have been confirmed, with suspected spread into two more provinces including Kisangani, while the Bundibugyo strain still has no approved vaccine.
Earlier this month, researchers began enrolling patients in a treatment study testing remdesivir and MBP134, but the trial is currently limited to one Ituri treatment center as officials weigh expansion.
With doctors on strike and 80% of cases untraced, is Congo’s Ebola outbreak spiraling into an unrecorded catastrophe?
Can new vaccines be fast-tracked before Congo's untreatable Ebola strain spreads further across Africa?
Did defunding health surveillance in 2025 directly cause Congo's current, uncontrollable Ebola crisis?
Fastest-Growing Ebola Outbreak Hits DRC: 2,000+ Cases, Bundibugyo Strain, and Health Worker Strike Deepen Crisis
Overview
As of July 2026, the Democratic Republic of Congo is facing a severe Ebola outbreak, with over 2,000 confirmed cases and 754 deaths. The crisis is made worse by an escalating health worker strike, which is significantly slowing down response efforts. The outbreak has spread across five provinces in eastern Congo and has even reached neighboring Uganda. While 753 patients are currently in isolation or hospital care and 366 have recovered, only 67% of exposed individuals are being traced, making containment difficult. The combination of rapid disease spread and workforce challenges highlights the urgent need for coordinated action.