DRC Ebola outbreak climbs to 598 cases, 115 deaths

GOMA — The Democratic Republic of Congo says confirmed Ebola cases have climbed to nearly 600, an outbreak that represents a serious public-health risk for the wider region.

The toll matters for Zambia because the DRC is its northern neighbour, and the busy Copperbelt and North-Western border crossings carry constant traffic in people and goods. Confirmed cases stood at 598 with 115 deaths as of 9 June, the Congolese authorities said, with 22 patients recovered. The outbreak is concentrated in three conflict-affected eastern provinces, where insecurity has made the response harder.

The figures were reported by Reuters from Goma. The outbreak spans Ituri, where 17 health zones are affected, North Kivu, with seven, and South Kivu, with one. Officials announced the strain — Bundibugyo — on 15 May, and have acknowledged that the virus circulated undetected for weeks before it was confirmed.

The Bundibugyo strain has no approved treatment, though three vaccines are in development. That gap places the weight of the response on basic public-health measures: finding cases, isolating patients, tracing contacts and safe burials. This story is part of Kwacha News’s continuing health coverage.

What the data shows

The numbers point to an outbreak still growing. With 598 confirmed cases and 115 deaths, the case fatality rate is high, as it tends to be with Ebola, and the spread across three provinces shows the virus has not been contained to a single hotspot. The 22 recoveries are a thin piece of good news against a rising case count.

Geography is working against the response. The affected zones sit in the eastern DRC, where armed conflict has displaced people and disrupted health services for years. The Congolese government has urged people to seek care immediately for fever, vomiting, diarrhoea or severe weakness — the early signs of Ebola — but reaching populations on the move, in insecure areas, is the central difficulty.

The response has also met resistance. Mistrust of health teams has hampered the effort, with reported attacks on burial teams and treatment centres, and medical staff in some areas lack basic protective equipment. The International Rescue Committee has called for more funding to contain the spread in Ituri, the worst-affected province.

The Democratic Republic of Congo on Tuesday said confirmed Ebola cases had climbed to nearly 600, raising awareness within the local population about the importance of safety measures.

— Reuters reporting from Goma, carried by <a href="https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2026-06-10-congo-says-number-of-confirmed-ebola-cases-rises-to-nearly-600/">Daily Maverick</a>

Background

Ebola is a severe, often fatal viral disease spread through contact with the bodily fluids of infected people or contaminated surfaces. The DRC has faced repeated outbreaks, and its health authorities and partners have built up experience in response, but each outbreak turns on speed: the faster cases are found and isolated, the smaller the spread. The weeks this outbreak went undetected before the Bundibugyo strain was confirmed on 15 May gave it room to grow.

For Zambia, the risk is regional rather than immediate, but it is real. The two countries share a long border, and the crossings on the Copperbelt and in North-Western Province see heavy daily traffic. Kwacha News reported earlier this month on Ebola vaccines research and the DRC outbreak on the Zambian border, setting out how surveillance at entry points is the first line of defence against an imported case.

Zambia has dealt with public-health emergencies of its own in recent months and built up response capacity in the process. Kwacha News covered the country’s cholera outbreak response, an effort that drew on case-finding, water and sanitation measures and public messaging — the same toolkit that border health teams would lean on to catch an Ebola case early.

What to watch

The first thing to watch is the case count. An outbreak is judged by its trajectory, so the question is whether the next updates show the numbers slowing or still climbing across the three provinces. A flattening curve would suggest the response is gaining ground; continued growth would not.

The second is funding and access. The IRC’s call for more money for Ituri points to a resourcing gap, and the attacks on burial teams and treatment centres show that access is as much a security problem as a medical one. Whether responders can reach affected communities safely will shape the outcome.

The third is the regional response, including at Zambia’s borders. The decision point that matters for Zambian readers is whether health authorities step up screening at the DRC crossings, the standard precaution when a neighbour reports a growing Ebola outbreak. Early detection at the border is what keeps a regional risk from becoming a domestic one.

Frequently Asked Questions

These are the questions readers have been asking about the DRC Ebola outbreak. Short answers follow, drawn from Reuters reporting and public-health guidance.

What is the DRC Ebola outbreak?

In short, the outbreak is a Bundibugyo-strain Ebola epidemic in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo. The answer, simply put, is that confirmed cases reached 598 with 115 deaths as of 9 June 2026, across Ituri, North Kivu and South Kivu. The key is that the strain has no approved treatment, so containment relies on basic public-health measures.

How does Ebola spread?

Ebola spreads through contact with the bodily fluids of infected people or contaminated surfaces. Data from past outbreaks shows that safe burials, isolation of patients and contact tracing are the measures that slow it. Research into the disease shows speed of detection is decisive — the faster cases are found, the smaller the spread.

Is there a treatment or vaccine for the Bundibugyo strain?

The answer is not yet an approved one. According to the Congolese authorities, the Bundibugyo strain currently has no approved treatment, though three vaccines are in development. Evidence from earlier outbreaks shows vaccines have helped, but the current response leans on case-finding and safe care.

What does the outbreak mean for Zambia?

Simply put, it is a regional risk. Zambia shares a long border with the DRC, and the Copperbelt and North-Western crossings carry heavy daily traffic. The data shows no confirmed Zambian cases tied to this outbreak; the practical step is heightened surveillance at the border to catch any imported case early.

What are the real risks of the outbreak?

Analysis of the response reveals three durable risks: conflict that blocks access to affected zones, mistrust that fuels attacks on health teams, and a funding gap flagged by the International Rescue Committee. Evidence from the ground shows the medical challenge is compounded by a security and trust challenge.

Sources

Reuters, via Daily Maverick: Congo says number of confirmed Ebola cases rises to nearly 600. World Health Organization: Ebola disease information. Kwacha News coverage: Ebola vaccines and the DRC outbreak on the Zambian border and Zambia’s cholera outbreak response.