Understand

Outbreak timeline

A timeline to follow the key dates of the outbreak: the official milestones of the response and the thresholds crossed by the toll, computed from the bulletins archived on this site.

  • Official milestone
  • Geographic spread
  • Threshold crossed
  1. Feb 2026

  2. The virus is already circulating, unseen

    Reconstructed after the fact from sequenced genomes, the common ancestor of the sampled viruses dates back to late February, between mid-January and late March. The outbreak therefore ran for nearly three months before it was declared.

  3. Apr 2026

  4. First suspected cases

    Cases of unexplained haemorrhagic fever are detected in Ituri province. Samples are sent for analysis.

    Open the province page
  5. May 2026

  6. First situation report

    The first INSP SitRep devoted to this outbreak is published: it records 8 confirmed cases and 4 deaths.

    8 confirmed cases · 4 deaths

  7. Laboratory confirmation and outbreak declaration

    Testing confirms Ebola virus, Bundibugyo species. The authorities officially declare the 17th Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

    8 confirmed cases · 4 deaths

  8. Public health emergency of national concern

    The DRC declares a public health emergency at national level and activates its response: treatment centres, contact tracing, border screening points.

    13 confirmed cases

  9. Public health emergency of continental security

    The emergency is extended to continental level, opening the way to a regionally coordinated response.

    13 confirmed cases

  10. The outbreak reaches Nord-Kivu

    The province enters the bulletin table with three confirmed cases. The two previous reports do not mention it; the 18 May bulletin is missing from the archive, so this date is a lower bound.

    33 confirmed cases · 4 deaths
    Open the province page

  11. The outbreak reaches Sud-Kivu

    “A newly affected province (Sud-Kivu), through Miti-Murhesa health zone”, the day's bulletin announces. The province will not go beyond three cases.

    83 confirmed cases · 9 deaths
    Open the province page

  12. 10 health zones affected

    First bulletin to give per-zone detail: it lists 10 — Bambu, Bunia, Mongbwalu, Nizi, Nyankunde and Rwampara (Ituri), Butembo, Goma and Katwa (Nord-Kivu) and Miti-Murhesa (Sud-Kivu).

    83 confirmed cases · 9 deaths

  13. 20 health zones affected

    22 health zones have now reported at least one confirmed case. New that day: Aungba, Damas, Gethy, Komanda, Lita and Mangala (Ituri) and Beni (Nord-Kivu).

    263 confirmed cases · 42 deaths
  14. Jun 2026

  15. 30 health zones affected

    31 health zones have now reported at least one confirmed case. New that day: Nia-Nia (Ituri) and Mabalako (Nord-Kivu).

    782 confirmed cases · 181 deaths

  16. 1,000 confirmed cases

    The cumulative toll passes 1,000 confirmed cases since the start of the outbreak.

    1,003 confirmed cases · 254 deaths

  17. The outbreak reaches Haut-Uélé

    Two contacts from the Nia-Nia health zone are found symptomatic in Wamba, then test positive. Their cases stay counted in Ituri, their zone of origin: the bulletin only gives Haut-Uélé a line of its own on 10 July.

    1,203 confirmed cases · 321 deaths
    Open the province page

  18. The outbreak reaches Tshopo

    The day's bulletin reports the first case linked to the province: a 24-year-old woman, six months pregnant, who died at PK 51 in the Nia-Nia health zone and whose body was taken by motorbike to Kisangani, where the sample tested positive. The case is then attached to Nia-Nia, in Ituri, where it stays counted until 10 July.

    1,406 confirmed cases · 438 deaths
    Open the province page
  19. Jul 2026

  20. 40 health zones affected

    41 health zones have now reported at least one confirmed case. New that day: Wamba (Haut-Uélé) and Lubunga, Makiso-Kisangani and Mangobo (Tshopo).

    1,873 confirmed cases · 672 deaths

  21. 2,000 confirmed cases

    The cumulative toll passes 2,000 confirmed cases since the start of the outbreak.

    2,011 confirmed cases · 754 deaths

  22. 1,000 deaths

    The cumulative toll passes 1,000 deaths since the start of the outbreak.

    2,536 confirmed cases · 1,033 deaths

  23. 3,000 confirmed cases

    The cumulative toll passes 3,000 confirmed cases since the start of the outbreak.

    3,075 confirmed cases · 1,354 deaths
  24. Aug 2026

  25. 50 health zones affected

    50 health zones have now reported at least one confirmed case. New that day: Wanie-Rukula (Tshopo).

    3,748 confirmed cases · 1,657 deaths

  26. 4,000 confirmed cases

    The cumulative toll passes 4,000 confirmed cases since the start of the outbreak.

    4,053 confirmed cases · 1,851 deaths

  27. 2,000 deaths

    The cumulative toll passes 2,000 deaths since the start of the outbreak.

    4,381 confirmed cases · 2,011 deaths

  28. The outbreak reaches Bas-Uélé

    “A newly affected province (Bas Uélé: Buta health zone)”: one confirmed case, one death. The sixth province affected.

    4,665 confirmed cases · 2,184 deaths
    Open the province page

  29. 5,000 confirmed cases

    The cumulative toll passes 5,000 confirmed cases since the start of the outbreak.

    5,021 confirmed cases · 2,378 deaths

  30. 6,000 confirmed cases

    The cumulative toll passes 6,000 confirmed cases since the start of the outbreak.

    6,041 confirmed cases · 2,911 deaths

  31. 3,000 deaths

    The cumulative toll passes 3,000 deaths since the start of the outbreak.

    6,186 confirmed cases · 3,007 deaths
  32. Sep 2026

  33. 7,000 confirmed cases

    The cumulative toll passes 7,000 confirmed cases since the start of the outbreak.

    7,022 confirmed cases · 3,398 deaths

  34. The outbreak reaches Sud-Ubangi

    “A new province has been affected, Sud Ubangi, through the Bulu health zone”: one confirmed case, deceased, a 23-year-old man who left South Kivu on 10 July. The seventh province affected, the first outside the north-east.

    7,022 confirmed cases · 3,398 deaths
    Open the province page

  35. 8,000 confirmed cases

    The cumulative toll passes 8,000 confirmed cases since the start of the outbreak.

    8,067 confirmed cases · 3,901 deaths

  36. 4,000 deaths

    The cumulative toll passes 4,000 deaths since the start of the outbreak.

    8,300 confirmed cases · 4,018 deaths
  37. Oct 2026

  38. Latest available toll

    The most recent bulletin included on this site reports 8,603 confirmed cases and 4,148 deaths.

    8,603 confirmed cases · 4,148 deaths

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