Find the latest updates on Ebola here

12 October 2026: Outbreak in Democratic Republic of Congo

In the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), a total of 8,728 confirmed Ebola cases and 4,205 deaths have been reported. The outbreak currently affects 64 out of 167 health zones in seven provinces: Ituri, North Kivu, South Kivu, Haut-Uélé, Tshopo, Bas-Uélé and Sud Ubangi.

Kenya

On 6 October 2026, the Kenyan Minister of Health reported the first confirmed, imported case of Ebola in that country. The patient, a Kenyan citizen living in the DRC, travelled to Nairobi via Uganda and arrived there on 3 October. The patient has since died.

Source and contact investigations have been carried out in Kenya. Close contacts of the patient, including family members and care workers, have been detected and quarantined. 

Europe

People in the Netherlands and the rest of Europe don't have to worry. The chance of the virus spreading here is very small. This is due to the way Ebola is transmitted. The virus cannot spread through the air (such as flu or corona). You can only become infected by direct contact with the body fluids of a patient who is actually sick (or deceased) at that time.

10 October 2026: Ebola patient recovered and out of hospital, no chance of infection

The patient with Ebola in the Leiden University Medical Center (LUMC) is completely better again. The patient was now testing negative. That means he no longer has the Ebola virus and can no longer infect anyone. Isolation has now stopped and the patient left the hospital yesterday.

The patient worked as an aid worker in the Democratic Republic of Congo. There is now an outbreak of Ebola in that country. Last week the patient flew from the Democratic Republic of Congo to the Netherlands. He then immediately came to the LUMC.

The patient was in a special ward, separate from other patients. The hospital staff worked with strict rules to prevent contamination. The chance of an Ebola infection remains very small in the Netherlands.

1 October 2026: Ebola patient on his way to the Netherlands

In recent days, it has become known that a care worker in the Democratic Republic of Congo has become ill. The patient tested positive for Ebola. For this reason, the patient will be repatriated and later today included in the LUMC.

What is Ebola?

Ebola virus is an agent of viral haemorrhagic fever (VHK). This is a serious infectious disease. Patients get headaches, muscle pain and high fever, often severe intestinal complaints, and sometimes bleeding from body openings. Many patients die. There is currently a major outbreak of Ebola in the Democratic Republic of Congo. This is where the rescuer worked as well.

Infection can only occur through direct contact with blood or other bodily fluids of a sick person, such as vomit, urine or saliva. Because the patient is in a special department in the LUMC, the virus cannot spread to other parts of the hospital or beyond.

The Netherlands is well prepared

The protection of caregivers, transport in special ambulances and patient care must be done properly and safely.

In order to be well prepared, hospitals, ambulance services and others such as the GGDs and RIVM often practice this type of situation. Here it is clear what exactly needs to be done. We can then give the best possible care to the patient, with maximum safety for healthcare professionals.

Virus is not found in the Netherlands

Causes of viral haemorrhagic fever are, for example, the Ebola virus, marburg virus and lassavirus. These diseases do not occur in the Netherlands.

Sometimes care workers who fall ill abroad are returned to the Netherlands (repatriated) for treatment. The last time this happened was in 2019, when it was a patient with lassa fever.

Update 10 PM

The aid worker who became ill in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and tested positive for Ebola has now arrived in the Netherlands. The patient has been admitted to a special treatment room at the Leiden University Medical Center (LUMC).

Further updates

The RIVM is closely monitoring the situation. New updates will be published if there is reason to do so, for example in case of special developments. If there are no particular developments, no further updates will follow.

22 September 2026: Ebola in the Democratic Republic of the Congo

A new province has been added where an infection has been confirmed: Sud-Ubangi (South Ubangi). The virus has now been reported in 7 provinces:

  • Ituri
  • North Kivu
  • South Kivu
  • Haut-Uélé
  • Tshopo
  • Bas-Uélé
  • Sud-Ubangi

Numbers of patients and deaths:

  • Infections: A total of 7,672 confirmed cases have been reported.
  • Deaths: 3,699 people have died from the virus.

Risk for the Netherlands

The risk that the disease will spread to Europe or the Netherlands remains very small. The RIVM is closely monitoring the situation together with international health organizations.

More information:

Ebola disease outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo | ECDC

2 September 2026: End of the outbreak in Uganda, no end in sight in DRC

Uganda has officially reported that the Ebola outbreak (caused by the Bundibugyo virus) is over. This happened after successfully completing the required period of 42 consecutive days without any new confirmed infections, as confirmed by the World Health Organization (WHO) and Africa CDC.

Number of reported cases in the DRC is increasing by about 90 per day

The World Health Organization (WHO) also reports that the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has now lasted for more than 100 days. The number of registered cases has risen to over 5,200. According to the WHO Regional Office for Africa, this outbreak is developing into one of the fastest-growing Ebola epidemics ever, significantly increasing the pressure on local and international emergency services. Together with national authorities the WHO has reinforced surveillance, contact tracing as well as patient care.

More information

10 August 2026: Bundibugyo Ebolavirus in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Uganda

Situation in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC)

  • The outbreak started in May 2026 and is not over yet.
  • As of August 8, 2026, 4,290 confirmed patients have been reported.
  • 1,916 people have died.
  • Compared to mid-July, the number of patients and deaths has roughly doubled.
  • 595 people are now admitted to an Ebola treatment center.
  • 828 people have recovered from the disease.
  • There are reports from 5 provinces in eastern DRC: Ituri, North Kivu, South Kivu, Haut-Uélé, and Tshopo.

Situation in Uganda

  • Up to July 28, 2026, 20 confirmed patients have been reported.
  • 2 patients have died.
  • The last patient was discharged from a hospital in Kampala on July 16.
  • On July 28, the Ugandan Ministry of Health declared the outbreak in Uganda over. The World Health Organization (WHO) says that the acute phase of an Ebola outbreak is over if there are no new patients for 42 days after the last patient is discharged. For Uganda, this means the outbreak is officially over if there are no new patients until August 27, 2026.

16 July 2026: Bundibugyo in DR Congo and Uganda

On 16 May, the WHO reported an outbreak of Bundibugyo ebolavirus in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and Uganda. Since then, 2,073 patients have been confirmed in the DRC, of whom 796 have died. In Uganda, 20 patients have been reported, with 2 deaths. The patients in the DRC come from five provinces: Ituri, North Kivu, South Kivu, Haut-Uélé, and Tshopo.

The most recent report in Uganda was on 21 June

The outbreak is occurring in an area with many conflicts and a lack of basic services. This makes it difficult to bring the outbreak under control. In addition, healthcare workers have gone on strike because of overdue salaries, further complicating the situation. Recently, an American aid worker became infected and was taken to Germany for treatment. This is the third healthcare worker to be treated in Europe.

24 June 2026: Ebola confirmed in healthcare worker in France: risk of spread in Europe remains very small

In France, the Ebola virus (Bundibugyo virus) has been confirmed in an individual who worked as a healthcare worker in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). In France, the individual was placed in isolation in a specialized hospital.

Healthcare workers run a higher risk

Healthcare workers in the affected areas are at a higher risk of becoming infected. They care for sick patients from a very close distance. Although they wear protective suits that make the risk of infection very small, there remains a possibility that they may still come into contact with bodily fluids, such as blood, that contain the virus.

Risk of spread in Europe is very small

RIVM emphasises that citizens in the Netherlands and the rest of Europe do not need to worry. The risk of the virus spreading here is very small. This is due to the way Ebola is transmitted: the virus is not contagious through the air (unlike flu or COVID-19). You can only become infected through direct contact with the bodily fluids of a patient who is actually sick at that moment. Because the French patient was placed in isolation immediately, there is no danger to the public. In the Netherlands, we are also well-prepared for these types of scenarios and are fully equipped to safely transport (potential) patients and place them in specialized isolation rooms where they can receive high-quality care.

11 June 2026: Number of Ebola cases in DRC continues to rise

On 8 June, the Ministry of Health in the DRC reported a total of 550 confirmed cases of Ebola caused by the Bundibugyo virus (up to and including 7 June). Of these cases, 101 people have died from the disease. Additionally, 309 people are currently isolated in hospital. The province of Ituri remains the hardest hit, with 518 confirmed Ebola cases. In North Kivu, 29 cases have been reported, and 3 cases in South Kivu. Laboratories are continuously testing and confirming samples from suspected cases.

Number of Ebola cases in Uganda

In Uganda, the number of confirmed cases now stands at 19, of whom 2 people have died. Out of the confirmed patients, 14 individuals became infected during travel in the DRC; the remaining 5 cases involve local transmission (infection within Uganda). Most cases with a known location have been identified in the capital city of Kampala (8 cases) and the surrounding district of Wakiso (1 case).

Risk for Europe very small

The European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC), the WHO, and RIVM still assess the risk of infection for residents of the European Union as very small. The situation is being monitored closely.

Travel restrictions

Within the Kingdom, Curaçao and Sint Maarten have imposed travel restrictions for residents or travelers from various countries in Africa. Please check with the local authorities for more information.

An update on the situation in the DRC and Uganda will be published twice a month over the coming period, unless ongoing developments require an earlier update.

Source: ECDC

3 June 2026: In the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and Uganda, many people are still sick with Ebola. The virus causing this Ebola outbreak is called Bundibugyo Ebola virus.

Number of Ebola cases in the DRC

On 2 June, the Ministry of Health in the DRC reported 344 confirmed cases of Ebola. Of these, 60 people have died from the disease. There are also 116 suspected cases still under investigation. The number of suspected cases is fewer than previously thought. This is due to additional investigations and data cleansing. At the same time, due to limited healthcare, it may well be that fewer cases are reported than there actually are. The province of Ituri was the hardest hit, with 322 cases. Nineteen cases were reported in North Kivu and 3 in South Kivu.

Number of Ebola cases in Uganda

Uganda has recorded 15 confirmed cases so far, out of which 1 person has died. Four people were travellers who became infected in DRC. The other people are contacts of these travellers. Most cases in Uganda have been recorded in the capital, Kampala, and 1 case has been reported in the Wakiso district.

Risk in Europe very low

According to the WHO, ECDC and RIVM, the risk of becoming infected in Europe is very low. These organisations are closely monitoring the situation. 

26 May 2026: The outbreak of Ebola in the Democratic Republic of the Congo is expanding

The outbreak of Ebola (caused by the Bundibugyo virus) in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) is expanding. So far, more than 900 suspected cases have been reported in the DRC (not all cases can be confirmed in the laboratory), of which 119 people have died.

The outbreak is currently concentrated in the provinces of Ituri, North Kivu, and South Kivu in the DRC. Local conditions make it difficult to quickly control the outbreak: healthcare is limited, it is challenging to trace all contacts, and there are conflicts between militias.

In addition, 3 people have traveled from the DRC to Uganda and became ill there. Three healthcare workers at a hospital in Kampala became infected while providing medical care for them. It is also believed that a driver of one of the patients was infected. There are now 7 infected people in Uganda. Uganda has a lot of experience in treating patients, tracing their contacts, and isolating these individuals.

The WHO estimates the risk of this outbreak at the national level in the DRC as ‘very high’ and at the regional level as ‘high’. The global risk – and thus the risk for the Netherlands – is currently considered low by both the WHO and the Dutch National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM).

Always consult the LCR website and travel advisories for the most up-to-date travel information.

More information: ECDC

20 mei 2026: Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo

In the Ebola (Bundibugyo virus) outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), 500 suspected cases have now been reported and 130 people have died from the disease. In 30 patients, the infection has been officially confirmed through laboratory testing. Most cases are located in Ituri province.

Uganda has also reported 2 imported cases involving individuals who had traveled to the country from the DRC.

The risk of contracting Ebola as a traveler is small. Ensure that you:

  • Do not touch sick or deceased people. Also avoid contact with their bodily fluids, such as blood or urine.
  • Only visit a hospital or other medical facility in the event of a medical emergency.
  • Do not participate in unsafe burial rituals.
  • Do not eat raw meat from wild animals (bushmeat).

More information: ECDC

17 May 2026: Ebola outbreak in DRC and Uganda classified as PHEIC

The World Health Organisation (WHO) has declared the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Uganda to be a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC). The outbreak is caused by the rarer Bundibugyo strain, for which no approved vaccines or specific treatments currently exist.

At the moment, the disease has been confirmed 8 times in DRC (in the province of Ituri) and is suspected in 246 people (not yet confirmed by lab testing). There have been 80 deaths in at least three health zones (Bunia, Rwampara and Mongbwalu). What is worrying the WHO about this outbreak is its confirmed spread to urban areas and across national borders. Several cases have already been detected in the Ugandan capital Kampala.

What is a PHEIC and how often has one happened?

A Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC) is the WHO’s highest alert phase. It can be declared in the event of an (imminent) pandemic, but also in the event of major regional problems. The WHO is now concerned about the African region, not because there are concerns about a pandemic. 
With a PHEIC, the WHO is declaring an outbreak to be an international risk and calling for global coordination, funding and accelerated medical research. WHO has declared a PHEIC nine times in the past 21 years.

Deze informatie in het Nederlands