Ebola Outbreak in DR Congo Sets Record for Highest First-Month Cases

The World Health Organisation (WHO) stated on Tuesday (23/6) that the Ebola outbreak occurring in the Democratic Republic of Congo represents the largest number of confirmed cases in history during the first month of an outbreak.

The government of the DRC reported on Tuesday that the death toll from Ebola has reached 267 people, while the number of confirmed cases has risen to 1,048. The fatality rate currently stands at over 25 per cent.

“This outbreak continues to expand… This is the largest number of confirmed cases in the first month of an Ebola outbreak in Africa,” said Abdirahman Mahamud, Director of the WHO Department of Health Emergency Preparedness and Response, in Geneva.

He assessed that epidemiological surveillance in the DRC needs to be increased, including in areas where cases have not yet been reported. Abdirahman also added that 84 per cent of hospital beds are currently occupied.

This, he stated, aims to ensure that the Ebola outbreak does not disrupt the country’s entire health system, while simultaneously providing “healthcare other than Ebola.”

In May 2026, the WHO designated the Ebola outbreaks in the DRC and Uganda as an emergency status with the potential to threaten other countries. The UN agency assessed the risk of further spread in the region as high.