The coffin of a person suspected of having died from Ebola is hoisted onto a pick-up truck by health works at a hospital in Bunia, in the eastern DRC, on May 25, 2026. [AFP]
The Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has taken a turn with a fatal case reported in Bas-Uele province, extending the epidemic’s reach to a sixth province. The case, a motorcycle-taxi driver who traveled from Haut-Uele to Bas-Uele’s capital, Buta, before succumbing has heightened concerns about cross-border movement between northern DRC and South Sudan.
Haut-Uele’s proximity to South Sudan and the region’s flow of people and goods across borders highlights the risks linked to this development.
Latest DRC government figures show 4,449 confirmed cases, including 2,061 deaths, with 716 patients still hospitalized or isolated. The case fatality rate stands at 46.3 percent, while contact tracing reaches 82.7 percent, according to authorities.
“Surveillance and health control mechanisms remain fully mobilized,” officials said. “Teams continue investigations, case transfers to treatment centres, and screening at entry points.”
The outbreak is driven by the Bundibugyo ebolavirus; a rare strain without any licensed vaccine or specific treatment. While Ituri province remains the epicenter, the appearance of a fatal case in Bas-Uele reveals the difficulty of containing Ebola in an area marked by frequent cross-administrative and international movement.