Substantive update: Congo Ebola outbreak reaches 63 health zones, adding Bulu and Dungu

WHO said on September 25 that the Democratic Republic of the Congo's Bundibugyo Ebola outbreak had spread to two more health zones: Bulu in South Ubangi and Dungu in Haut-Uele. The outbreak now affects 63 health zones in seven provinces. Dungu borders South Sudan, but there is no evidence in the update that the outbreak has crossed the border.

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Reuters reported at 18:01 UTC on September 25, citing WHO, that two additional health zones were affected: Bulu in South Ubangi province and Dungu in Haut-Uele province. Dungu is in northeastern Democratic Republic of the Congo and borders South Sudan; WHO did not announce a cross-border case in South Sudan.

With Bulu and Dungu added, the outbreak affects 63 health zones across seven provinces. This is a substantive development after the North Kivu hotspot update published earlier the same day, so this page's headline, summary, sources and report time have been updated.

Reuters reported at 06:00 UTC on September 25 that official Congolese data through September 22 recorded 7,820 confirmed cases and 3,779 deaths. Compared with the 7,258 cases and 3,510 deaths carried on this page on September 15, the official cumulative counts rose by 562 cases and 269 deaths; reporting lags may affect cumulative figures.

WHO situation data released on September 20 said North Kivu accounted for roughly one-third of recent confirmed cases and deaths, making it the outbreak's new hotspot. Ituri, where the outbreak initially hit hardest, still has the largest cumulative count but growth there has slowed. South Ubangi has become the seventh affected province.

At the Kitatumba Ebola treatment centre in Butembo, all 29 beds are occupied. Two additional treatment centres have opened, bringing North Kivu's total to four, but reporting and interviews by Reuters found that some patients still could not obtain a bed. Butembo has about two million residents and is a regional trading hub, complicating tracing and isolation.

The case-fatality ratio among diagnosed patients in North Kivu is just over 60%, compared with about 48% nationally. This figure applies to diagnosed cases and is not the mortality risk among all infections. Health workers pointed to delayed care, mistrust of response teams and limited facilities as possible contributors.

There is no approved vaccine or specific treatment for the Bundibugyo Ebola species. Funding and staff shortages, armed conflict and violence against medical teams continue to constrain the response. WHO said cases in North Kivu had declined in recent days, but bed pressure remained acute and the short-term dip should not be read as proof that the epidemic is controlled.

This page is a substantive update to the September 15 report. The accompanying image is an N Globe editorial illustration, not documentary outbreak imagery. Verification status: corrected / updated. News value: A-level major news. Origin region: Africa. Primary section: Health. Related regions: South Sudan and worldwide. Main sources: Congolese health authorities, WHO, MSF and Reuters. Latest source time: September 25, 2026, 18:01 UTC. Updated report time: September 25, 2026, 18:25 UTC.

This report is an original summary based on verified sources, not a verbatim reproduction.