Published on: 2026-07-14
Source: United Nations – United Nations –
An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.
Dominika Tomaszewska-Mortimer
July 14, 2026 Healthcare
The spread of the Bundibugyo Ebola virus variant in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has reached record levels, with most new cases arising from “unknown transmission chains.” This was warned on Tuesday by the World Health Organization (WHO).
Speaking to journalists in Geneva after returning from Ituri Province in eastern DRC, where the epicenter of the outbreak is located, WHO Executive Director of Emergency Programs Chikwe Ihekweazu reported that as of July 11, nearly two thousand confirmed cases and over 700 deaths have been registered across five provinces. This makes the current outbreak the third largest in modern history.
“We are observing the fastest spread within a month since the start of the outbreak and among all the Ebola outbreaks we have dealt with,” he said. “Over the past few days, we have recorded the highest daily numbers of new infections.”
Dr. Ihekweazu added that more than 80 new cases of infection were confirmed in just 24 hours.
Much remains unknown
Many of the recently recorded deaths are people who died at home, never reaching a medical facility and receiving no help, which a WHO representative called “a very alarming fact”.
Despite progress in diagnostics and a high level of tracking, 80 percent of new cases are not included in contact lists and come from unknown transmission chains, warned Ihekwazu.
The current outbreak was identified almost two months ago, and WHO modeling shows that its actual scale may be “at least two to four times” greater than the number of reported cases.
“Imagine that this is a fire,” Dr. Ihekeweazu said. “At its center is a source that feeds the fire, and this fire spreads further and further.”
Although up to 95 percent of new cases occur in Ituri, where the outbreak began, the virus has recently spread to two more provinces.
A WHO representative outlined a two-stage response strategy: to continue work at the epicenter of the outbreak in Ituri and simultaneously study movement routes and “carefully record risk zones for the appearance of new cases.”
“Now is not the time to lose the initiative,” he warned.
Clinical trials are ongoing
Several therapeutic drugs are currently undergoing clinical trials, but there is no approved treatment for patients with the Bundibugyo variant yet. Nevertheless, the chances of survival significantly increase with early treatment.
“We must identify cases of infection as early as possible and get people to medical facilities as quickly as possible,” said Dr. Ihekwazu.
Attacks on medical facilities
Answering questions about recent attacks on medical workers and medical institutions, he noted that the solution to the problem lies in “openness and transparency” regarding the care provided.
“Before opening any new center, we invite local community leaders to see what is happening there and to speak with healthcare workers who have left their homes to help respond to the outbreak,” said a WHO representative.
“The world needs to unite”
Dr. Ihekweazu noted a mismatch between the scale of the threat and the efforts currently being made at the international level.
“The world needs to unite – not only for charitable reasons or to support the DRC, but also in our own interests. The more we do now, the better protected we will be in the future,” he emphasized.
A WHO representative reported that at the organization’s headquarters in Geneva, member states are negotiating the key part of the Pandemic Agreement—the annex on access to pathogens and benefit sharing, which is intended to ensure the rapid sharing of genetic information on dangerous pathogens with pandemic potential, as well as the availability of vaccines and other treatments for developing countries.
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