Congo's Ebola outbreak passes 11,000 cases, 5,387 deaths
Congo's Health Ministry counted 11,042 Ebola cases and 5,387 deaths as of November 11, the country's deadliest outbreak. MSF says help is not reaching those who need it most.
The Democratic Republic of Congo has recorded more than 11,000 Ebola cases, according to Health Ministry figures reported by The Hindu. As of Wednesday, November 11, 2026, the ministry counted 11,042 infections and 5,387 deaths, meaning nearly half of those infected have died.
It is the deadliest Ebola outbreak the country has recorded. The Kathmandu Post, carrying a Reuters report, called it the second-worst on record, behind the 2014–2016 outbreak in West Africa, which saw more than 28,600 cases and over 11,000 deaths.
An outbreak with no approved vaccine or treatment
The outbreak was declared in mid-May and is caused by the Bundibugyo species of the Ebola virus, for which there are no approved vaccines or treatments.
Six months in, the medical charity Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) said on Thursday, November 12, that the virus was still spreading out of control and that help was not reaching the people who need it most. It pointed to untrained and unpaid staff, ambulances without fuel, and too few surveillance teams and supplies to handle suspected cases safely. "Despite the vast amounts of money provided for the response, many frontline responders are left trying to contain the outbreak with empty hands and empty pockets," said Dr Javid Abdelmoneim, MSF's international president, who called the situation "unacceptable".
MSF urged the Congolese government and UN agencies, including the World Health Organization (WHO), to make sure the money raised turns into support on the ground. According to the Kathmandu Post's report, the WHO, asked about the criticism, pointed to remarks by its director-general, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, who acknowledged problems such as delayed payments to health workers. The Congolese government did not immediately respond to Reuters' requests for comment, the report said.
Insecurity
In the same report, Tedros warned that insecurity, notably attacks on health facilities, had become one of the biggest obstacles to containing the outbreak. Nepal Bahas likewise reported a rise in attacks on health workers in the affected areas. The WHO said it is working with Congolese authorities, the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) and other partners to strengthen the response.