Africa CDC Director‑General Jean Kaseya told an extraordinary meeting of African health ministers in late October 2026 that the continent is not yet winning the fight against Ebola, with 10,172 confirmed cases and 4,932 deaths recorded so far.
What does the latest data show?
- Confirmed infections stand at 10,172, while the death toll is 4,932.
- The Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) remains the epicentre, accounting for 10,141 cases and 4,928 deaths across eight provinces.
- Kenya has reported nine cases and two deaths; Uganda, 20 cases, two deaths, plus one probable case and one probable death.
- France and Nigeria each recorded a single imported case, with no fatalities.
- Nigeria’s case was identified on 20 October; the patient, who had recently travelled from Uganda, was evacuated to Switzerland for specialised care, and 54 contacts are being monitored by the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC).
What did Kaseya say?
> “I have worked on Ebola outbreaks for more than 30 years. I have never > stopped feeling the weight of each life lost,” Kaseya said, adding that > “Ebola anywhere in Africa demands preparedness everywhere in Africa.”
How are African health ministers responding?
The ministers agreed to raise readiness for possible importations, improve cross‑border surveillance, keep commercial borders open while tightening health monitoring, and coordinate a unified continental response.
What lessons does the 2014‑2016 crisis provide?
Kaseya recalled that the West Africa outbreak disrupted society profoundly, causing roughly five million children to miss school, 23,000 children to lose parents, and an estimated loss of nearly US$3 billion in economic output. He warned that “we already know what an uncontrolled Ebola outbreak costs,” and urged aggressive preparation even in jurisdictions currently reporting zero cases.
What role does the World Health Organization play?
Data compiled by the World Health Organization underpins the figures cited, confirming the spread across five countries – DRC, Uganda, Kenya, France and Nigeria – and guiding the international health community’s response.
The outbreak, caused by the Bundibugyo species of the Ebola virus, was first declared in the DRC in May 2026. Health officials stress that continued vigilance and coordinated action are essential to turn the tide against the disease.