DRC Ebola Toll Passes 3,000 Deaths as Confirmed Cases Reach 6,186

The Democratic Republic of Congo's Ministry of Health reported 6,186 confirmed cases and 3,007 deaths (crude CFR ~48.6%) as of 31 August 2026, per the ECDC's Ebola outbreak tracker (updated 2 September) — a rise of 86 confirmed cases and 57 deaths since the 31 August report, with new cases concentrated in Ituri (49), North Kivu (32) and Haut-Uélé (5). Ituri province remains the epicenter with 5,065 cases and 2,305 deaths across 28 of 36 health zones, while North Kivu has recorded 868 cases and 589 deaths across 15 of 34 health zones. The outbreak, caused by Bundibugyo virus and declared a PHEIC on 17 May, has now killed more than 3,000 people in under four months — surpassing the death toll of DRC's 2018-2020 Kivu outbreak (2,299) by a wide margin and remaining the fastest-growing Ebola epidemic ever recorded. As of the update, 1,409 patients have recovered and 830 remain hospitalized in isolation, with 88% of identified contacts under active follow-up across 60 of 151 health zones in six provinces. UN Secretary-General António Guterres said international attention, political focus and resources 'are still lagging behind the reality unfolding on the ground.'