DR Congo Ebola Toll Passes 1,000 in Fastest Outbreak on Record; Africa CDC Raises Funding Appeal to $1.4bn
By Atlantic Digest Health Desk | FRIDAY 24 JULY, 2026
The death toll from the Democratic Republic of Congo’s Ebola outbreak has surpassed 1,000, marking a grim milestone in what African health authorities describe as the fastest-spreading Ebola epidemic on record.
Speaking at the African Union’s Extraordinary Summit on Health in Accra, Ghana, Africa CDC Director-General Dr Jean Kaseya announced that 1,031 deaths had been confirmed since the outbreak began. According to the DR Congo Ministry of Health, the country had recorded 2,473 cumulative cases as of Monday, with hundreds of patients remaining in isolation or receiving treatment in hospitals.
The outbreak, officially declared on May 15, is being driven by the Bundibugyo strain of the Ebola virus, for which no approved vaccine or specific treatment currently exists. Health experts say the absence of licensed medical countermeasures has significantly complicated containment efforts.
Officials noted that the epidemic reached the 1,000-death mark far more rapidly than the devastating 2013–2016 West Africa Ebola outbreak, which remains the deadliest in history and took approximately eight months to reach a similar fatality level.
The World Health Organization (WHO) has warned that the true scale of the outbreak may be two to four times higher than official figures suggest, citing insecurity, limited access to affected communities, population displacement and resistance to health interventions in parts of Ituri Province, the epicentre of the epidemic.
In contrast, neighbouring Uganda has reported encouraging progress in controlling its own linked Ebola outbreak. Authorities there have begun the 42-day countdown required before an outbreak can officially be declared over after recording no new confirmed cases since June 21.
Addressing African leaders in Accra, Dr Kaseya disclosed that the financial requirements for responding to the DRC crisis have risen dramatically—from an initial estimate of about $518 million last month to approximately $1.4 billion.
He urged African governments to increase domestic investment in healthcare, strengthen disease surveillance systems and accelerate the development of local pharmaceutical manufacturing capacity to reduce dependence on foreign assistance.
Dr Kaseya also revealed that clinical trials for potential Ebola therapeutics are already under way, while vaccine trials targeting the Bundibugyo strain are expected to begin next month. He expressed optimism that, with stronger political commitment and sustained investment, Africa could be significantly better prepared to confront major disease outbreaks by December 2026.
