DRC Ebola Outbreak Surpasses 2,500 Deaths, Spreading Faster Than Response

The Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo is spreading exponentially and outpacing the response, with the death toll surpassing 2,500 and funding set to run out within weeks, according to the United Nations. The epidemic, declared on May 15, has infected 5,290 people and killed 2,516, making it the deadliest in the country's history and on track to become the largest ever recorded by the end of September.

Julien Harneis, the UN Senior Ebola Coordinator, briefed journalists from the epicenter in Bunia, Ituri province, on Friday, August 21, 2026. He warned that the disease is growing faster and wider than the humanitarian and medical response can manage. "The epidemic is spreading to an area that is bigger than France," Harneis stated, noting that half of all deaths have occurred in just the last 20 days. The outbreak is now present in six eastern provinces: Ituri, North Kivu, South Kivu, Haut-Uélé, Tshopo, and Bas-Uélé.

The response is severely hampered by a combination of factors. The virus responsible is the rare Bundibugyo strain, for which there is no specific approved vaccine or treatment. In a significant development, health authorities are preparing to...