As of September 19, 2026, health authorities have recorded 58 new confirmed cases of Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) and 23 total deaths across the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), according to official epidemiological data. The ongoing crisis requires coordinated medical responses from organizations like Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF), which has worked alongside the Ministry of Health to manage treatment centers, deploy epidemiological experts, and implement community surveillance protocols to limit viral transmission.
Current Ebola Case Distribution and Fatality Rates Across DRC Provinces
The latest update shows that new confirmed cases originate primarily from Ituri with 38 cases, followed by North Kivu with 14 cases, Haut-Uélé with 5 cases, and Tshopo with 1 case. Daily fatalities include 13 community deaths alongside 10 deaths recorded inside Ebola Treatment Centers (ETCs), broken down as 6 in Ituri, 3 in North Kivu, and 1 in Tshopo. Meanwhile, 15 patients have successfully recovered after testing negative for EVD twice, with 13 recoveries in Ituri and 2 in North Kivu.
Since the epidemic began, the DRC has accumulated a total of 7,672 confirmed cases and 3,699 deaths, yielding a case fatality rate of 48.2%. Ituri province remains the primary epicenter, accounting for 77.1% of all confirmed cases across the 7 affected provinces and representing 65.5% of the most recently reported infections. Out of 167 total health zones in the country, 63 remain affected, spanning Ituri, North Kivu, Haut-Uélé, Tshopo, South Kivu, Bas-Uélé, and South Ubangi.
Médecins Sans Frontières Response and Community-Level Interventions
To curb the spread of the virus, medical response teams have focused heavily on early detection, triage, and isolation. According to Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF), teams collaborated with the Ministry of Health at the Butsili and Kanzulinzuli health centers to provide free outpatient consultations and specialized care for patients admitted to isolation units. MSF also supplied essential medicines and food for admitted patients and their companions while undertaking structural rehabilitation at the Butsili, Kanzulinzuli, and Mandrandele health centers.
Did you know? MSF deployed two epidemiologists—including an expert in Ebola virus management—alongside a Health Promoter supervisor to support the psycho-social care commission and reinforce community surveillance.
Field operations also prioritized high-risk contact tracing and social monitoring. Outreach teams distributed specialized kits containing mobile phones and food supplies to encourage suspected cases to self-isolate safely. Furthermore, first responders and individuals identified as close contacts of confirmed cases received vaccinations to build community-level immunity.
Frequently Asked Questions About the Ebola Response
Which provinces are currently most affected by the Ebola outbreak in the DRC?
Ituri remains the hardest-hit epicenter, accounting for 77.1% of all confirmed cases and 28 of its 36 health zones being affected. North Kivu, Haut-Uélé, Tshopo, South Kivu, Bas-Uélé, and South Ubangi are also managing active cases.
How do treatment centers handle patient care and infection control?
According to field reports from Médecins Sans Frontières, medical teams prioritize the immediate triage, detection, and isolation of suspected cases, providing free care, medicines, and food within dedicated treatment units.
What measures are taken to prevent community transmission?
Surveillance commissions deploy epidemiologists and health promoters to locate contact cases, distribute support kits including phones and food to encourage self-isolation, and administer targeted vaccinations to high-risk contacts and first responders.
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