Ebola spreads to Nigeria after killing over 5,000 people in DR Congo as officials race to stop the virus

• Over 5,000 people have died and more than 10,300 Ebola cases have been confirmed in DR Congo since the outbreak began in May 2026.\

• The outbreak has spread to Nigeria, Kenya and Uganda, prompting increased surveillance and cross-border health measures.

• The WHO says "continued scale-up of key control measures, greater access to affected areas, and community outreach" are needed to stop the outbreak, while the UN warns it is "taking lives at a much faster rate."

• Health workers continue to face violent attacks, while scientists are racing to find effective treatments for the Bundibugyo strain, which currently has no approved vaccine or specific treatment.

If you thought Ebola was a thing of the past, think again.

The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) is battling its deadliest Ebola outbreak ever, with more than 5,000 people now confirmed dead, according to the country's latest government figures.

The outbreak, which began in May 2026, has continued to spread rapidly, with over 10,300 confirmed infections recorded across eight of the country's 26 provinces. Health officials say the virus currently has a 48.6% fatality rate, meaning nearly one in every two infected people has died.

The worst-hit area remains Ituri Province in northeastern DR Congo, where ongoing armed conflict has made it much harder for health workers to reach affected communities and contain the disease.

The outbreak has also crossed borders, with confirmed Ebola cases already reported in Kenya, Uganda and Nigeria, raising concerns across East and Central Africa.

According to the United Nations, this is the 17th Ebola outbreak recorded in DR Congo's history and already the second-largest Ebola outbreak ever recorded globally.

The World Health Organization (WHO) Regional Office for Africa warned that more work is needed to stop the virus.

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It said a "continued scale-up of key control measures, greater access to affected areas, and community outreach" is needed to bring the outbreak under control.

Health authorities are carrying out testing, treating infected patients and running vaccine clinical trials. However, scientists face a major challenge because the current outbreak is being caused by the Bundibugyo strain of the Ebola virus, for which there is currently no approved vaccine or specific treatment.

The country's previous worst Ebola outbreak, which lasted between 2018 and 2020, killed 2,299 people. The current epidemic has already more than doubled that figure.

Globally, the deadliest Ebola outbreak remains the 2014–2016 West Africa epidemic, which claimed more than 11,325 lives across countries including Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone before spreading to a few cases in Europe and the United States.

The UN has warned that the current outbreak is "taking lives at a much faster rate."

Ebola is a severe viral disease that usually starts suddenly with symptoms such as fever, weakness, muscle pain and headaches.

As the illness worsens, patients often develop vomiting and diarrhoea, while severe cases can lead to organ failure. Some infected people also experience internal and external bleeding.

The virus spreads through direct contact with the bodily fluids of an infected person, including blood, vomit and other secretions. It does not spread through the air like COVID-19.

Containing the outbreak has become even more difficult because health workers have repeatedly come under attack.

Earlier this week, a nurse was killed while another health worker suffered serious injuries during an attack while responding to an Ebola alert. According to the UN-backed Radio Okapi, some local youths accused them of contaminating water sources and spreading the disease.

Last month, a politician was beaten to death after promoting Ebola prevention measures. In August, the Red Cross also reported that volunteers were attacked and an ambulance was set on fire during one of 11 violent incidents recorded within the outbreak's first 100 days.

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Uganda recorded 20 Ebola cases and two deaths shortly after the outbreak began, but authorities say no new infections have been reported since August. Even so, travel restrictions remain for people crossing into the country from neighbouring DR Congo.

Kenya has confirmed nine cases and two deaths linked to the outbreak.

In Nigeria, health authorities have isolated two suspected Ebola cases and are carrying out laboratory tests. Earlier in October, one woman was confirmed to have Ebola before being flown to Switzerland for specialised treatment.

Meanwhile, the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control says the risk of Ebola spreading widely across Europe remains "very low."

For now, health experts say early detection, community cooperation and stronger surveillance remain the biggest weapons against the outbreak.