Ebola infections in DR Congo surge to 3,200, with 1,405 deaths

play Live Sign upShow navigation menuNavigation menuNewsShow more news sectionsAfricaAsiaUS & CanadaLatin AmericaEuropeAsia PacificMiddle EastExplainedSportOpinionVideoMoreShow more sectionsFeaturesEconomyHuman RightsClimate CrisisInvestigationsInteractivesIn PicturesScience & TechnologyPodcastsTravelSponsored Contentplay Live Click here to searchsearchSign upNewsEbola infections in DR Congo surge to 3,200, with 1,405 deathsCases have surged by 1,000 in just 10 days as outbreak continues to spread across five provinces. xwhatsapp-strokecopylinkgoogleAdd Al Jazeera on GoogleinfoA health worker in personal protective equipment stands near displaced people waiting for the burial of suspected Ebola victims at the Kigonze displaced persons camp, one month after an outbreak was declared, in Bunia, eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, June 18, 2026. [Gradel Muyisa Mumbere/Reuters]By Al Jazeera Staff, AFP and ReutersPublished On 27 Jul 202627 Jul 2026The number of people infected with Ebola in the Democratic Republic of the Congo has risen to 3,200, according to government data, including at least 1,405 deaths. The data was released on Sunday as medics struggle to contain the DRC’s 17th Ebola outbreak, with infections surging by about 1,000 in just 10 days. The outbreak, declared on May 15, is caused by the Bundibugyo strain of the Ebola virus, for which there is no approved vaccine or treatment. The World Health Organization said nearly 90 percent of cases have been reported in the northeastern province of Ituri, which borders South Sudan and Uganda. The United Nations agency says the virus is in five provinces, including two new provinces where it has spread recently. “In many cases the humanitarian community wants to help, but the real challenge is getting there”, said Hedley Tah of the UN Humanitarian Air Service (UNHAS), which flies medics and response teams to crisis front lines. In addition to moving aid workers to stricken areas, Tah added that UNHAS is “moving samples for lab testing to ensure traceability can continue”. Authorities said that improved detection and testing had helped identify more infections. The outbreak could last several more months, and strikes by healthcare workers demanding unpaid wages have disrupted response efforts in some hospitals. Ebola, which spreads through contact with bodily fluids and causes hemorrhagic fever, has killed more than 15,000 people across Africa over the past 50 years. Scientists are racing to develop vaccines and treatments against the Bundibugyo strain, with Oxford University saying on Friday that the first volunteer group had received an experimental vaccine targeting the strain. Several other candidate vaccines are being fast-tracked for clinical trials, while two potential treatments are also under development. Advertisement AboutAboutShow moreAbout UsCode of EthicsTerms and ConditionsEU/EEA Regulatory NoticePrivacy PolicyCookie PolicyCookie PreferencesAccessibility StatementSitemapWork for usConnectConnectShow moreContact UsUser Accounts HelpAdvertise with usStay ConnectedNewslettersChannel FinderTV SchedulePodcastsSubmit a TipPaid Partner ContentOur ChannelsOur ChannelsShow moreAl Jazeera ArabicAl Jazeera EnglishAl Jazeera Investigative UnitAl Jazeera MubasherAl Jazeera DocumentaryAl Jazeera BalkansAJ+Our NetworkOur NetworkShow moreAl Jazeera Centre for StudiesAl Jazeera Media InstituteLearn ArabicAl Jazeera Centre for Public Liberties & Human RightsAl Jazeera ForumAl Jazeera Hotel PartnersFollow Al Jazeera English: