Congo Ebola outbreak exceeds 11,000 infections with over 5,300 deaths

The Congolese Health Ministry reported on Wednesday, Nov. 11, 2026, that the Ebola outbreak has reached 11,042 confirmed infections and 5,387 deaths, nearly half of those infected. The outbreak, declared in mid-May, has spread to eight of the country’s 26 provinces. Authorities say the spread has been hampered by armed conflict and a strained health system. The virus involved, identified as the Bundibugyo strain, currently has no approved vaccine or specific treatment. While dozens of Ebola outbreaks have occurred since the disease was first identified in 1976, the West Africa epidemic of 2014-2016 remains the largest, with about 28,000 cases and more than 11,000 deaths. The present outbreak is the second-largest on record, with case and death counts three times higher than those recorded in the same period during the West Africa crisis. Health officials noted that medical evidence suggests the virus was circulating months before the official declaration.