Congo Ebola Outbreak Could Become Deadliest Ever: 5 Key Things WHO Chief Said

Last Updated:August 13, 2026, 10:56 IST

Tedros said the 2026 outbreak could “eclipse” the 2014-2016 Ebola epidemic in West Africa, which killed at least 11,000 people.

Ebola outbreak was officially declared on May 15 and has so far recorded at least 4,300 cases and more than 2,000 deaths. 

The Ebola outbreak currently spreading through the Democratic Republic of Congo could become deadlier than the worst Ebola epidemic on record if it continues at its current pace, World Health Organization Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus warned.

Tedros said the 2026 outbreak could “eclipse” the 2014-2016 Ebola epidemic in West Africa, which killed at least 11,000 people. The outbreak was officially declared on May 15 and has so far recorded at least 4,300 cases and more than 2,000 deaths.

Here are five key things WHO officials said about the outbreak:

1. This Outbreak Could Become The Ebola Deadliest Yet

Tedros warned that, at its current pace, the outbreak could surpass the death toll recorded during the 2014-2016 Ebola epidemic. That outbreak, which primarily affected Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone, killed more than 11,000 people and became the largest Ebola outbreak ever recorded. The current outbreak has already caused more than 2,000 deaths, with thousands more infections reported.

2. The Virus May Have Been Spreading For Months

Although the outbreak was officially declared in May, WHO officials now believe transmission began much earlier. WHO Africa director Dr Mohamed Janabi said research suggests the virus began spreading in February, with some early cases initially diagnosed as malaria or typhoid.

“We are chasing the virus, the virus is ahead of us,” Janabi said at a news conference in Bunia, near the centre of the outbreak. The delayed identification of cases has made it more difficult for health authorities to trace infections and contain transmission.

3. There Is No Approved Vaccine For This Ebola Strain

The outbreak is being caused by the Bundibugyo species of Ebola, a relatively rare strain that has previously been responsible for only two known outbreaks, in 2007 and 2012. Unlike the Ebola species responsible for the major 2014-2016 epidemic, there is currently no approved vaccine or recognised therapeutic drug specifically available for Bundibugyo Ebola. That leaves health authorities with fewer established tools to prevent and treat infections.

4. Conflict Is Making Outbreak Harder To Control

The outbreak is concentrated in eastern parts of the Democratic Republic of Congo, where ongoing regional instability is complicating the public health response. Janabi said health workers are currently reaching only about 30% of cases, limiting their ability to identify patients, trace contacts and prevent further transmission. The WHO said it hopes to bring transmission under control within three months, but officials stressed that this would not necessarily mean the outbreak itself would be over.

5. Vaccines And Treatments Are Finally Being Tested

There are efforts underway to develop new tools against Bundibugyo Ebola. The UK’s Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency approved the first human trials of a vaccine being developed by researchers at the University of Oxford. The vaccine uses technology similar to that used for the Oxford-AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccine. Three other groups are also developing potential Bundibugyo vaccines, although they have not yet entered clinical trials.

Read More