Ebola in the DRC: 'The epidemic is unprecedented in scale'
The Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) is unprecedented in scale and continues to worsen. Despite emergency measures, the situation in Ituri province remains critical, with the World Health Organization confirming the virus has been circulating for months. The official death toll has risen significantly, but the true impact may be much higher due to overwhelmed healthcare facilities.
- ▪The Ebola outbreak was declared by Congolese authorities on May 15, 2026.
- ▪The official death toll has increased from 80 to 139 probable deaths.
- ▪Nearly 600 suspected cases have been reported, but the actual numbers may be higher due to many patients remaining at home.
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Disinfectant is sprayed at an Ebola treatment center in Bunia, Democratic Republic of Congo, on May 19, 2026. DIROLE LOTSIMA DIEUDONNE/AP Is a "perfect storm" – a disastrous combination of unfavorable factors – bearing down on the Great Lakes region of Africa? Despite emergency measures deployed to contain the Ebola outbreak in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), the situation remains far from under control in Ituri province, the epicenter of the crisis. On Wednesday, May 20, the World Health Organization (WHO) confirmed during a meeting in Geneva what several sources interviewed by Le Monde had feared: The virus had already been circulating for "several months" and was spreading. Tracing the chains of transmission will be extremely difficult.
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