EBOLA IN CONGO: OVER 10,000 INFECTED AND ALMOST 5,000 DEAD - ONE OF THE DEADLIEST EPIDEMICS IN HISTORY IS SPREADING

The Democratic Republic of the Congo is facing the worst Ebola epidemic in its history. According to the latest figures from 27 October 2026, there have been 10,060 confirmed cases and 4,887 deaths. The fatality rate among confirmed cases is close to 49 percent. The epidemic, which began in May this year, continues to spread at an alarming rate. The virus has already been recorded in 66 health zones across eight provinces of Congo, and cases linked to the outbreak have been reported in other countries too. Particularly worrying is the fact that the epidemic isn't staying within Congo's borders. Kenya and Nigeria have already reported cases, heightening fears of further international spread. Ebola is a severe viral disease transmitted through direct contact with the blood and other bodily fluids of an infected person. The disease can cause high fever, severe weakness, vomiting, diarrhoea, organ damage and, in severe cases, bleeding. The situation is especially tragic in Congo's poor and conflict-hit regions, where a shortage of medical staff, health infrastructure and timely medical care is driving the death toll even higher. According to health authorities, many of those who died did not manage to reach hospital treatment in time. The World Health Organization declared the epidemic a public health emergency of international concern back in May. Health services are trying to limit the spread by isolating the infected, tracing contacts and stepping up medical aid. But armed conflict, distrust of institutions and hard-to-reach settlements are seriously hampering the fight against the virus.

Will the world react too late again?

The Congo epidemic is already the second largest in Ebola's history, right behind the catastrophic West African epidemic of 2014 to 2016. While the international public is preoccupied with wars, economic crises and geopolitical conflicts, a health tragedy is unfolding in central Africa in which dozens of people die every day. The question is no longer whether Ebola is a serious threat to Africa. The question is whether the international community will manage to stop its spread before the death toll climbs even higher. METLA | 27 October 2026