EBOLA EMERGENCY: DR Congo Records More Than 11,000 Cases as Attacks on Health Workers Threaten Containment

BUNIA / KINSHASA / GENEVA, 13 November 2026

The Democratic Republic of Congo is confronting one of the most severe Ebola outbreaks in its history, with confirmed infections exceeding 11,000 and deaths surpassing 5,000. Six months after the outbreak was identified, international health authorities say that although some affected communities are recording improvements, insecurity and attacks on medical personnel are making it increasingly difficult to control the disease.

The outbreak, identified in mid-May 2026, is caused by the Bundibugyo strain of Ebola virus. This is particularly concerning because there is currently no approved vaccine or specific treatment for this strain.

According to figures published by the Associated Press on 11 November, Congolese health authorities had reported 11,042 infections and 5,387 deaths. Reuters reported on 13 November that confirmed cases had exceeded 11,000, making the outbreak the second-largest Ebola epidemic on record.

The outbreak has spread across eight of the Democratic Republic of Congo's 26 provinces. Ituri province accounts for nearly 70 per cent of reported cases, while North Kivu has emerged as an important centre of new transmission, according to Congolese Health Minister Roger Kamba.

The World Health Organization's Health Emergencies Programme chief, Chikwe Ihekweazu, acknowledged that the response was showing encouraging signs, particularly in previously affected areas such as Bunia. However, he warned that new infections were appearing in remote communities that are difficult for medical teams to reach.

One of the most serious obstacles is insecurity.

Reuters reported on Friday that WHO data recorded approximately 80 attacks on health facilities and workers since the outbreak began. The attacks have disrupted medical operations and made contact tracing more difficult.

The WHO Director-General, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, also expressed concern over two recent attacks that killed four health workers. According to the Associated Press, these incidents disrupted contact tracing, leaving more than 1,000 identified contacts unaccounted for and three unconfirmed cases requiring further attention.

The humanitarian consequences extend beyond hospitals. Schools in Ituri have also been affected, with infections among teachers creating fear among pupils and education workers. Some school administrators have called for psychological support for affected communities.

Médecins Sans Frontières has expressed concern about shortages of essential supplies and described the outbreak as continuing to spread beyond the reach of an effective response. The UN's special Ebola coordinator, Julien Harneis, acknowledged the scale of the challenge but said response teams were able to operate across the affected area approximately 80 per cent of the time.

There is, however, an important development for neighbouring countries.

Nigeria's Centre for Disease Control and Prevention announced on Friday that all 62 contacts associated with the country's imported Ebola case had completed the 21-day monitoring period without developing the disease.

Nigeria confirmed its first Ebola case in more than a decade on 21 October, involving a Swiss woman who had travelled from Uganda. She and her husband were evacuated to Switzerland, where she subsequently recovered and was discharged from hospital.

Thirteen of Nigeria's monitored contacts reported fever or other non-specific symptoms, but all tested negative. Seven additional Ebola alerts investigated across five states also tested negative.

The NCDC nevertheless cautioned that completing contact monitoring does not automatically mean the outbreak is officially over. Under WHO protocols, a full 42-day period must pass after the last confirmed patient's recovery or departure before an outbreak can be formally declared over.

The situation demonstrates how infectious diseases can become regional emergencies when insecurity, inadequate health infrastructure and delayed detection combine.

For the DRC, the immediate priority remains protecting medical personnel, restoring access to affected communities, tracing contacts and strengthening public-health surveillance.

For neighbouring countries, including Nigeria, continued preparedness remains essential.

The bigger question: How can international health organisations contain an epidemic when the people responsible for saving lives cannot safely reach those who need treatments?