Congo's Ebola outbreak has passed 9,000 confirmed cases, and there is still no approved vaccine for this strain. Where it stands

Congo's Ebola outbreak passed 9,000 confirmed cases this week. Government figures released Tuesday, October 13, listed 9,066 confirmed cases and 4,381 deaths, the Associated Press reported. By the next day the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention counted 9,167 confirmed cases and 4,413 confirmed deaths across four countries. Nearly all of them were in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The virus behind the outbreak, Bundibugyo, has no approved vaccine and no approved treatment.

The outbreak was declared in mid-May. It is now the largest and deadliest Ebola outbreak in Congo's history, according to the World Health Organization as cited by Reuters. Only the 2014–2016 West Africa epidemic, which infected more than 28,600 people and killed more than 11,000 in Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone, was larger. Responders say the spread is not slowing in several hotspots. Conflict, mistrust and supply shortages are the main reasons they give.

How big is the 2026 Ebola outbreak now?

The European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control updated its tracker on October 14 with data through October 13. It showed 9,144 confirmed cases and 4,410 deaths in Congo, 2,418 recoveries and 899 patients in isolation. On October 12 alone, 79 new confirmed cases and 11 deaths were reported. Sixty-five of Congo's 167 health zones have confirmed cases, spread across seven provinces in the north and east.

Ituri province remains the center of the outbreak, with 6,734 cases and 3,177 deaths in the ECDC count. North Kivu follows with 1,938 cases and 1,102 deaths. Doctors Without Borders (MSF) says in its response summary that North Kivu now accounts for nearly half of new cases, and that the province has a 59% case fatality rate. The other affected provinces are Bas-Uele, Haut-Uele, Sud-Kivu, Sud-Ubangi and Tshopo.

The pace is clear from WHO's own reports. Its September 25 outbreak notice counted 7,890 confirmed cases and 3,799 deaths as of September 23. That was 1,133 more cases than in its previous notice on September 11. About three weeks later the total had grown by more than 1,200 again. WHO put the overall case fatality rate at 48.1% in September. The AP noted that health officials believe confirmed cases are only about a third of all infections, so many more go undetected.

Source: CDC Ebola situation summary, counts as of October 14, 2026. Congo figures change daily; suspected cases are excluded.

Why is the Ebola outbreak so hard to contain?

Several problems are making each other worse. Eastern Congo is in the middle of one of the world's most severe humanitarian crises, with fighting between government forces and armed groups, including M23. Al Jazeera reported that the conflict is making it hard to get supplies to remote areas. Many residents distrust responders, and some believe the disease is a cover for officials to embezzle money. A local politician who publicly defended the government's response was beaten to death in September, according to his party.

People are also moving in large numbers, and treatment centers and medical supplies are short. The AP reported that many deaths happen outside treatment centers. That matters because unsafe burials and care at home are well-known ways Ebola spreads. One Bunia resident told the AP, "I feel that the government is overwhelmed by events."

Tracking contacts is getting harder too. In September, WHO said 83.4% of identified contacts had been followed up within the previous 24 hours. By the ECDC's mid-October update, 77.6% of contacts were under follow-up. MSF lists other gaps: limited testing capacity, difficult terrain that slows sample transport, and other diseases competing for the same staff during the rainy season, including malaria, cholera, measles and malnutrition.

Is there a vaccine or treatment for Bundibugyo Ebola?

Not yet. The only licensed Ebola vaccine, Ervebo, was developed against a different species, Zaire ebolavirus. The CDC said in its May health advisory that Ervebo is not expected to protect against Bundibugyo. WHO issued updated emergency guidance in late August on possible use of Ervebo in Bundibugyo outbreaks, and research on dedicated candidates is ongoing.

Several trials are underway. MSF is supporting the PARTNERS trial of two experimental therapies, remdesivir and MBP134, and has started a vaccination study among frontline workers. Al Jazeera reported that WHO emergencies chief Dr. Chikwe Ihekweazu said a clinical trial to test vaccine efficacy against Bundibugyo is being prepared in Congo for the coming weeks. Even if a candidate works, it will take time to make and deliver doses at scale in a conflict zone.

What is the risk to the United States and Europe?

Health agencies say the risk to the public outside Central Africa is low. The CDC's situation page, updated October 13, says no cases linked to this outbreak have been reported in the United States. It rates the likelihood of spread to the U.S. as very low and the overall risk to Americans and travelers as low. ECDC modeling rates the risk of importation into Europe as very low, though it says occasional imported cases cannot be ruled out.

Ebola does not spread through the air. The virus passes through direct contact with the body fluids of a sick or deceased person, and people are not contagious until symptoms appear. Symptoms show up 2 to 21 days after exposure. Early signs include fever, aches and fatigue. Vomiting, diarrhea and unexplained bleeding can follow.

U.S. travel rules are strict. The CDC says travelers who have been in Congo within the previous 21 days cannot board commercial flights to the United States. That includes U.S. citizens, who are advised to stay outside Congo for 21 days before entering. Americans who were in Uganda or South Sudan, but not Congo, must enter through designated airports for enhanced screening. The CDC advises against all travel to Ituri and North Kivu and against nonessential travel to Haut-Uele and Tshopo. WHO, for its part, has advised countries against travel or trade restrictions.

What it means for businesses and organizations with ties to the region

For most companies the direct exposure is small. For those with staff, suppliers or projects in eastern and northern Congo or neighboring countries, the outbreak is an operational issue. Practical steps drawn from the agencies' guidance:

• Check travel plans against current CDC rules. The 21-day boarding restriction for anyone recently in Congo affects return dates, rotations and visiting staff.
• Brief employees who travel. The CDC advises avoiding contact with sick people, body fluids, funerals that involve touching the dead, bats and bushmeat, and watching for symptoms for 21 days after returning.
• Plan for the logistics. Insecurity and shortages that slow the medical response can also slow cargo, field work and local services in affected provinces.
• Keep medical decisions with professionals. Anyone who develops fever or other symptoms after possible exposure should isolate and call a health provider or local health department before going in, and mention recent travel.

U.S. clinicians are asked to include Bundibugyo virus disease in the diagnosis when compatible symptoms come with a relevant travel or exposure history. They are also asked to keep testing for common illnesses such as malaria, COVID-19 and flu.

What to watch next

The next few weeks should show whether this outbreak keeps growing toward the size of the West Africa epidemic. Watch for the start of the vaccine efficacy trial WHO says is being prepared. Watch for any slowdown in North Kivu, where the share of new cases and the fatality rate are highest. Watch the contact follow-up rate, which shows whether responders are keeping up. And watch neighboring countries: Kenya's imported case, which according to Al Jazeera involved a man who traveled from Congo through Uganda to Nairobi, showed how far the virus can move along regional routes. Case counts are revised daily, so official dashboards from the CDC, WHO and ECDC are the best guide.