The World Health Organization (WHO) said on Wednesday, September 16, 2026, that efforts to contain the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) were showing encouraging signs, although the epidemic continued to spread.
WHO Director-General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said transmission was declining in the worst-affected parts of Ituri province, while South Kivu had recorded no new cases since May 2026.
The DRC declared its 17th Ebola outbreak in mid-May 2026. Since then, more than 7,200 cases and 3,500 deaths have been recorded across seven northern and eastern provinces.
Tedros said trials of treatments and post-exposure prophylaxis were accelerating following increased community engagement, with vaccine trials expected to begin in the coming weeks. However, he cautioned that the outbreak was far from over, stressing that Ebola continued to spread and claim lives.
WHO’s Director of Epidemic and Pandemic Management, Maria Van Kerkhove, also warned that the response could take many more months before the outbreak is brought under control.