Ebola death toll in Congo tops 4,000 in fastest-growing outbreak of the disease on record

October 2, 2026 / 7:24 AM EDT / CBS/AP

Bunia, Congo — Congo's Ebola outbreak has now recorded more than 4,000 deaths, authorities said as they struggle to contain the spread of the virus.

The latest figures were released by the health ministry on Thursday. They show that 4,018 people have died from among 8,300 confirmed cases in what has become the fastest-growing Ebola outbreak in history.

More than 2,000 patients have recovered from the disease, the Reuters news agency notes.

Congo announced an outbreak on May 15, caused by the rare Bundibugyo virus, which has no known treatment or vaccine.

Some health workers gathered in Bunia, the capital of northeastern Ituri province, the heart of the outbreak, to demand payment for owed wages. They were quickly dispersed by officials. The protesting workers included surveillance team members, who identify people exposed to infected patients. They waved placards saying, "No money, no data!" and "No payment for months."

Front-line workers have gone on several strikes since the start of the outbreak to demand payment, further hampering efforts to contain the disease.

An aid worker with Médecins Sans Frontières, known in English as Doctors Without Borders, was infected with Ebola while working…

Original source: https://www.cbsnews.com/healthwatch/