New data indicates that the Ebola outbreak in eastern Congo has claimed 1,707 lives out of 3,802 reported cases as of Tuesday, August 4, 2026, according to a government update cited by the Associated Press.

Africa CDC Director-General Jean Kaseya told the AP that authorities remain unable to predict when the outbreak will peak. He noted that contact tracing efforts—monitoring individuals exposed to confirmed Ebola cases—are "not working," complicating efforts to fully assess the outbreak's trajectory.

The Democratic Republic of the Congo's Ministry of Health first declared the outbreak on May 15, 2026. By June, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) had increased its response efforts as the virus spread through Congo and Uganda.

Satish Pillai, the CDC’s Ebola response incidence manager, stated, “Elevating the response level reflects the urgency, scale, and complexity of the outbreak, and allows CDC to bring additional resources to support the coordination and operational needs of our response.” He also mentioned that the CDC would adjust staffing based on the outbreak's spread and that agency leadership is taking the situation seriously.

According to the World Health Organization’s (WHO) African Region, no licensed vaccines or approved therapeutics exist for the specific Ebola strain affecting eastern Congo. This strain, originating from the Bundibugyo virus, currently has no known treatment.

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