Congo's Ebola Crisis: 100 Lives Lost Amid Ongoing Outbreak
WHO:
ABC News - Vianney Kambale Kombi, a survivor and health worker, shared experiences from the 2018-2020 Ebola outbreak.
ABC News - Dr. Babah Mutuza Lusungu, a physician at “Dieu Est Grand” Medical Center in Beni, recounted the challenges faced during the outbreak.
ABC News - Esperance Masinda, who worked for the U.N. children’s agency in Beni during the 2018 outbreak, also shared her experiences.
WHAT:
AP News - The outbreak is concentrated in Congo’s eastern province of Ituri, which accounts for more than 90% of the cases.
AP News - Cases have also been recorded in the North Kivu and South Kivu provinces, and the outbreak has spread across the border to Uganda.
AP News - The contact tracing coverage rate is currently at 64%.
AP News - Since the outbreak was declared in mid-May, more than 520 incidents impacting the work of health professionals have been reported.
AP News - Nearly a million people have been displaced by conflict in Ituri, complicating contact tracing efforts.
ABC News - The current outbreak has resulted in 101 deaths and 19 recoveries, with 550 confirmed cases reported as of the latest situation report.
ABC News - The number of cases is believed to be higher due to the outbreak being confirmed weeks late.
ABC News - At least 100 people have died from Ebola in eastern Congo, with 550 confirmed cases reported.
ABC News - The current outbreak has resulted in 101 deaths and 19 recoveries.
ABC News - The outbreak is caused by the rare Bundibugyo virus, which lacks an approved vaccine or treatment.
ABC News - The 2018-2020 Ebola outbreak had over 3,400 reported cases and more than 2,200 deaths.
WHERE:
ABC News - The outbreak is occurring in eastern Congo, specifically in the city of Beni and surrounding areas.
WHEN:
ABC News - The current outbreak was declared less than a month prior to the report.
WHY:
ABC News - Attacks on health workers from angry residents and armed conflict in hot spots continue to challenge efforts to stop the spread of the outbreak.
ABC News - Attacks on health workers, skepticism among locals, and armed conflict are hindering efforts to control the outbreak.
ABC News - Historical skepticism about Ebola, including beliefs that it is witchcraft or a political issue, has contributed to the spread of the disease.
HOW:
AP News - The rapid increase in the number of cases is partly due to the scale-up of diagnostic capacities, enabling testing of the backlog of previously collected samples.
ABC News - The outbreak is caused by the rare Bundibugyo virus, which does not have an approved vaccine or treatment, unlike the Zaire virus responsible for most of Congo’s past outbreaks.
ABC News - The response to the outbreak is complicated by the absence of an approved vaccine or treatment for the Bundibugyo virus.
(UPDATED June 9, 2026 17:41 UTC)
The outbreak in Congo's eastern province of Ituri is a significant concern, as it accounts for over 90% of the reported cases, with additional incidents noted in North Kivu, South Kivu, and even crossing into Uganda. Since the outbreak was declared in mid-May, there have been more than 520 incidents affecting health professionals, and nearly a million people displaced by conflict in Ituri are complicating contact tracing efforts, which currently sits at a coverage rate of 64%. The rapid rise in cases is partly attributed to an increase in diagnostic capacities, allowing for the testing of a backlog of previously collected samples.
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(UPDATED June 9, 2026 15:57 UTC)
The current outbreak of the rare Bundibugyo virus has resulted in 101 deaths and 19 recoveries, with 550 confirmed cases reported, although the actual number is believed to be higher due to delays in confirmation. Efforts to contain the virus are being hampered by attacks on health workers from frustrated residents and ongoing armed conflict in affected areas. Unlike the Zaire virus, which has an approved vaccine and treatment, there are currently no approved options for the Bundibugyo virus.
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(UPDATED June 9, 2026 08:10 UTC)
In eastern Congo, specifically in the city of Beni, the current Ebola outbreak has resulted in at least 101 deaths and 19 recoveries, with a total of 550 confirmed cases linked to the rare Bundibugyo virus, which has no approved vaccine or treatment. Health workers like Vianney Kambale Kombi and Dr. Babah Mutuza Lusungu have shared their experiences from the outbreak, highlighting the challenges posed by attacks on health workers and local skepticism about the disease. The situation is further complicated by historical beliefs that Ebola is linked to witchcraft or political issues, making efforts to control the outbreak even more difficult.