Email: communications@africacdc.org
Executive Summary
An outbreak of Bundibugyo Virus Disease (BVD) caused by Bundibugyo virus (BVD), a species of the Orthoebolavirus genus, has been reported in Ituri Province in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), with epidemiological investigations indicating that the outbreak likely originated in the mining-intensive Mongbwalu Health Zone and subsequently expanded across Ituri, North Kivu and South Kivu, with cross-border transmission confirmed to Uganda.
The epidemiological context is highly concerning because the affected areas are characterized by intense population mobility, informal artisanal mining, overcrowded settlements, weak health infrastructure, insecurity linked to armed group activity, and extensive cross-border interactions with Uganda and South Sudan. Bunia additionally serves as a major regional commercial and transport hub linking eastern DRC to neighboring countries, significantly increasing the risk of regional dissemination.
As of 27 May 2026, a total of 129 confirmed cases, 1,077 suspected cases, and 246 suspected deaths from the Bundibugyo Virus Disease (BVD) outbreak have been reported from the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and Uganda. These cases were reported from 15 health zones: DRC (14 HZs) and Uganda. The outbreak has expanded well beyond the initial Ituri epicentre: as of 27 May 2026, 15 health zones across Ituri (Bambu, Bunia, Mongbwalu, Nizi, Lita, Nyankunde, Rwampara, Aru and others), North Kivu (Butembo, Katwa, Goma) and South Kivu (Miti-Murhesa) are affected.
Four frontline healthcare workers have died and at least eight additional infections among health workers have been reported, Uganda has reported 7 laboratory-confirmed cases in Kampala, with one confirmed death, linked to cross-border population movement from Bunia. Uganda activated its National Task Force on 16 May 2026 and is included as a Priority 1A response country alongside DRC. Evidence suggests several weeks of undetected viral circulation between epidemiological weeks 15 and 19 (early April through mid-May 2026). However, the true scale of the outbreak is likely substantially underestimated because of delayed detection, underreporting, insecurity, weak community-based surveillance, limited diagnostic capacity, and constrained access to affected communities. (…)
