Bundibugyo Ebolavirus 2026: Cross-Border Outbreak in DRC and Uganda

Current Situation

The 2026 outbreak of Ebola disease caused by Bundibugyo virus was declared by the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) on 15 May 2026 after national laboratory confirmation. WHO determined on 17 May that the event met the criteria for a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC).

The latest official figures used by EbolaMap are for 16 August 2026:

Location	Confirmed cases	Deaths	Status
DRC	5,021	2,378	Active transmission
Uganda	20	2	Outbreak ended 28 July
Total	5,041	2,380	47% combined CFR

The DRC outbreak has reached 55 of 151 health zones in six provinces: Ituri, North Kivu, South Kivu, Haut-Uele, Tshopo, and Bas-Uele. WHO describes it as the largest Ebola outbreak recorded in the DRC and the second largest globally. The epidemic remains active and is not yet under control.

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What Is Bundibugyo Virus?

Bundibugyo virus (BDBV) belongs to the Orthoebolavirus genus. It was first identified during the 2007 outbreak in Bundibugyo District, Uganda, which caused 149 cases and 37 deaths. A second outbreak occurred in Isiro, DRC, in 2012, with 36 cases and 13 deaths.

Historically, Bundibugyo outbreaks had lower case-fatality ratios than many outbreaks caused by Zaire ebolavirus. The 2026 epidemic has been more severe: the DRC’s crude CFR reached 47.4% by 16 August.

Feature	Bundibugyo virus	Zaire ebolavirus
Approved vaccine	None	Ervebo
Approved virus-specific treatment	None	Inmazeb and Ebanga
Previous recognized outbreaks	Uganda 2007; DRC 2012	Multiple outbreaks since 1976

Supportive care—including fluid and electrolyte replacement, treatment of secondary infections, and organ support—therefore remains central to clinical management.

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Geographic Spread and Response

Transmission has been concentrated in eastern and northeastern DRC. By 16 August, Ituri had reported 4,257 cases and 1,878 deaths, while North Kivu had reported 607 cases and 428 deaths. Smaller totals were recorded in Haut-Uele, Tshopo, South Kivu, and the newly affected Bas-Uele Province.

Uganda recorded 20 cases and two deaths. Its outbreak was declared over on 28 July 2026 after the required follow-up period without a new confirmed case. Continued cross-border surveillance remains important because communities, trade routes, and family networks connect affected areas in the DRC with neighboring countries.

ECDC’s 19 August assessment reported:

• 751 patients hospitalized in isolation in the DRC
• 1,061 people recovered
• 82.2% of listed contacts under follow-up
• no secondary transmission linked to cases diagnosed outside Africa

WHO convened the second meeting of the IHR Emergency Committee on 18 August. In the opening remarks, the Director-General emphasized faster surveillance and data sharing, reliable financing, safe access for response teams, and stronger cross-border coordination.

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Vaccines and Treatment Research

There is still no approved Bundibugyo-specific vaccine or antiviral treatment, but research has advanced during this outbreak:

• Two Bundibugyo-specific vaccine candidates have entered human trials.
• A third vaccine candidate that showed cross-protection in animal studies is moving toward a phase 3 trial.
• The WHO-sponsored PARTNERS treatment trial has enrolled 100 patients.

These are research programs, not approved countermeasures. Claims about protection or treatment effectiveness should wait for trial results and regulatory review.

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What to Watch Next

The most important indicators are new health zones or provinces reporting cases, the share of contacts successfully followed, delays between symptom onset and isolation, healthcare-worker infections, and whether treatment capacity keeps pace with admissions.

EbolaMap updates the outbreak timeline, interactive map, and news feed when new official situation reports are published.

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Last updated 20 August 2026. Epidemiological data through 16 August 2026. Sources: WHO Regional Office for Africa Situation Report 14, ECDC’s 19 August epidemiological update, and WHO Director-General’s 18 August opening remarks to the second IHR Emergency Committee meeting.