DRC Ebola outbreak becomes largest on record, 1,707 dead

A major Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, now the largest ever recorded in the country, continues to expand faster than the international response can contain it, according to health officials. The outbreak, driven by the rare Bundibugyo strain of the virus, has infected at least 3,802 people and killed 1,707 since it was formally declared on May 15, 2026.

The World Health Organization stated the outbreak is still expanding beyond the capacity of the response, with nearly 90 percent of cases concentrated in the northeastern Ituri province. The situation represents a significant escalation, surpassing the nation's previous record outbreak from 2018 to 2020. Officials reported the outbreak's worst week to date in late July, with 567 new cases and 296 deaths recorded.

A critical challenge is the absence of approved vaccines or treatments for the Bundibugyo species. While licensed countermeasures exist for the more common Zaire strain, they are not authorized for use against this outbreak, leaving care as primarily supportive. In response, multiple clinical trials are accelerating in the affected region. These include tests of the monoclonal antibody MBP134 and...