Ebola utbrottet

Ebola outbreak claims one life every 30 minutes

The rapidly growing Ebola outbreak in Congo-Kinshasa is now the deadliest in the country's history, AFP reports. More than 2,300 people have died in three months, according to the latest official figures.

The UN says the Ebola outbreak is "the fastest growing on record" and that one person is dying from the disease every 30 minutes.

Only one Ebola outbreak in the world has been deadlier. During the Ebola crisis in West Africa from 2014 to 2016, more than 11,000 people died.

The ongoing outbreak in Congo-Kinshasa was detected in the northeastern Ituri province in May, but the infection likely took hold earlier than that. The outbreak is caused by the Bundibugyo variant of Ebola, for which there is no approved vaccine or treatment.

The Ebola outbreak — the issue

• The Ebola outbreak in Congo-Kinshasa has spread rapidly since May 2026, with nearly 5,000 cases and more than 2,300 deaths confirmed.
• The Bundibugyo variant, for which there is no vaccine, has caused the outbreak. The infection has spread to several provinces and neighboring countries.
• Armed conflicts, distrust of authorities, and attacks on health workers have made it difficult to track and treat cases in affected areas.
• Health workers have gone on strike over unpaid wages, further complicating the management of the outbreak.
• The WHO has classified the outbreak as an international public health emergency and warned that the hidden toll is large. Doctors Without Borders warns that the virus is spreading faster than the response can keep up.