Ebola death toll rises to 160 in Congo

The local officials said laboratory testing has so far confirmed 64 infections and six deaths

DAKAR: (UrduPoint/UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News-May 23^rd, 2026) The death toll due to Ebola outbreak in Congo climbed to 160, the International media reported on Saturday, citing the local health officials.

The virus has intensified and claimed many lives in the African country as the local officials said laboratory testing has so far confirmed 64 infections and six deaths.

According to reports by the German Press Agency (dpa), the Congolese Health Ministry has recorded 671 suspected cases of Ebola and 160 suspected deaths so far.

The World Health Organization has warned that the real scale of the outbreak could be much higher, noting that many suspected cases may not be formally reported. The agency earlier estimated nearly 600 suspected infections and more than 130 suspected deaths within the same week.

Health officials said the outbreak began in Ituri province in northeastern Congo, which shares borders with Uganda and South Sudan.

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The Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention stated that this is the 17th recorded Ebola outbreak in Congo since 1976.

Authorities confirmed that the current wave involves the rare Bundibugyo strain of the Ebola virus. There is currently no approved vaccine or specific treatment for this strain, making containment efforts more difficult.

In neighbouring Uganda, health authorities reported no new cases beyond two earlier confirmed infections involving Congolese nationals. Officials said one patient died, while the second tested negative for the virus for the second time and remains under medical observation.

Ebola is a highly infectious and often deadly disease transmitted through direct contact with infected individuals or bodily fluids. It was responsible for one of the worst outbreaks in recent history in West Africa between 2014 and 2015, when more than 11,000 people lost their lives.