An Ebola outbreak in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo has infected 1,460 people and killed 452 as of July 1, 2026, according to the World Health Organization. About 31 percent of infected people are dying. The virus is spreading fast: 33 new cases and six deaths were reported on July 4 alone in two provinces, per the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control. In just three weeks—between June 10 and July 1—the number of confirmed cases more than doubled.

This outbreak is caused by a type of Ebola called Bundibugyo virus. It's less common than the Zaire strain that caused major outbreaks in 2014 and 2018-2020, per the WHO. What makes this outbreak unusual is that it combines features of both those earlier crises: it's spreading across rural villages like the 2014 outbreak, but it's also happening during an armed conflict, like the 2018-2020 one, according to New York Times reporting. Most cases—over 97 percent—are in three provinces in eastern Congo, per Africa Center for Strategic Studies data.

The real problem: Rebels control the infected areas

Here's the challenge that makes this outbreak different. The areas being hit hardest by Ebola are controlled by a rebel group called M23, not by Congo's national government, per the New York Times. M23 started its rebellion in late 2021 and has taken control of mineral-rich regions in eastern Congo, according to The Soufan Center. Congo's military, called the FARDC, is fighting back: a top M23 commander was killed in a military drone strike in February 2026, per Critical Threats Project reporting. The war is still happening, and it's getting in the way of stopping the disease.

Why does this matter? When health workers try to treat patients and vaccinate people against Ebola, they need to move freely through affected areas. They also need people to trust them. But if a rebel group controls the checkpoints and territory, the health workers can't get in without permission—and the rebels may not have reasons to cooperate. During the last major Ebola outbreak in Congo from 2018 to 2020, health teams faced similar problems but eventually worked out agreements with armed groups. Whether that can happen with M23 is unclear and hasn't been publicly discussed by response teams.

The outbreak spreads across the border

The WHO declared this outbreak a global health emergency on May 17, 2026, per the WHO's official statement. That's the highest alert level, used when a disease might spread to other countries and needs coordinated action. By May 2026, the virus had already crossed into Uganda, prompting the Ugandan government to restrict travel with Congo, per the Times. These border closures are meant to stop disease spread, but they hurt people in border communities who depend on trade and cross-border jobs—especially people who have already fled the war.

With active cases still being detected as of July 4, and no public agreement yet between the Congolese military, M23, and international health authorities, the outbreak's next phase will likely depend more on whether armed groups allow epidemiologists to reach infected villages than on whether vaccines are available.