Workers construct an Ebola treatment centre in Beni territory, North Kivu Province, Democratic Republic of the Congo. Health authorities are expanding treatment capacity as the country responds to the ongoing Bundibugyo ebolavirus outbreak. July 9, 2026 - NNA News 

NNA News - The Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) has intensified its response to the country's Ebola outbreak as confirmed cases rose to 2,973, including 1,309 deaths, with authorities warning the epidemic could worsen the humanitarian situation in the conflict-affected east. Prime Minister Judith Suminwa Tuluka made the remarks during a visit to Bunia, the capital of Ituri Province and the epicentre of the outbreak, where she said the government had allocated US$50 million to support response efforts alongside funding from international partners.

She said accelerating the deployment of medical supplies and equipment remained a priority. "The issue now is how to ensure that all the logistics are taken care of," Suminwa said, citing the need for laboratory equipment, oxygen supplies, ambulances, hygiene materials and equipment for safe and dignified burials. The Prime Minister also called for strengthened surveillance at displacement sites, warning that the outbreak could deepen the humanitarian crisis affecting eastern DRC. According to the latest situation report released by the country's health authorities, 540 patients have recovered since the outbreak began, while 766 people remain in isolation or hospital care.

Health officials said the outbreak continues to experience sustained community transmission, cautioning that fluctuations in reported cases should be interpreted carefully because of reporting delays and ongoing data verification. The report also showed that 123 healthcare workers and frontline responders have contracted the virus during the outbreak, with 36 deaths recorded among them. Suminwa said Congolese and international researchers were working to develop both a vaccine and treatment for the Bundibugyo ebolavirus, the strain responsible for the current outbreak. She expressed hope that a vaccine and treatment could become available within two to four months, adding that the government had provided funding to support the research.

Healthcare workers carry the coffin of an Ebola victim during a burial in Bunia, Ituri Province, Democratic Republic of the Congo. Authorities continue to strengthen surveillance, treatment and safe burial measures as the outbreak remains under sustained transmission. July 9, 2026 - NNA News 

There is currently no approved vaccine or specifically licensed treatment for the Bundibugyo ebolavirus, although several experimental vaccines and therapies are undergoing clinical evaluation. On Friday, the University of Oxford announced that the first volunteer had received a candidate vaccine, known as ChAdOx1 BDBV, in what it described as the world's first human clinical trial targeting the Bundibugyo strain.

The outbreak was declared on 15 May and has since spread across Ituri, North Kivu, South Kivu, Haut-Uele and Tshopo provinces.