India, Aug. 17 -- The Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) has entered a more dangerous phase after spreading to a sixth province, with health authorities warning that the epidemic could continue for nine to 12 months - or even longer - if transmission is not brought under control.

As of August 17, 2026, the outbreak had recorded 4,945 cases and 2,325 deaths across six provinces, which means the case fatality rate of about 47 per cent. The death toll has already surpassed the 2,299 deaths recorded during the 2018-2020 Ebola outbreak in DRC, making the current epidemic the deadliest in the country's history according to DR Congo's Institute of Public Health.

The latest expansion came on August 14, when Africa Cent...