The Ebola outbreak has spread across five provinces, led by Ituri as the epicenter, with sustained transmission and high virus circulation warned by authorities.

Ituri, a border province near Sudan and Uganda, accounts for about 90 percent of cases, according to the World Health Organization.

As of July 26, 2026, authorities report 3,075 confirmed cases and 1,354 deaths across five provinces, with rapid spread noted since mid-July.

Healthcare workers’ strikes over unpaid wages are disrupting response efforts in several hospitals, hampering containment.

Strikes demanding salaries are affecting hospital operations and the wider response in multiple facilities.

The circulating strain is Bundibugyo, which carries a fatality rate around 40 percent, and there is no approved vaccine at present.

UN and health agencies warn of logistical hurdles in delivering aid and moving samples for lab testing to maintain surveillance and traceability.

WHO Africa Region reports ongoing support in tracing, treatment centres, infection prevention, and community engagement to curb spread.

The World Health Organization cautions that true case counts may be two to four times higher than official data due to underreporting and persistent transmission.

Experts are accelerating vaccine and treatment development, with an experimental Bundibugyo-targeted vaccine having its first dose administered to a volunteer by Oxford University’s Vaccine Group.

There is no proven vaccine yet; researchers are racing to slow the epidemic, and experimental vaccines and potential treatments are in development.

Improved surveillance, expanded contact tracing, and greater laboratory capacity have strengthened detection and confirmation of infections.