Research and analysis

Outbreaks under monitoring: week 41 (week ending 11 October 2026)

Updated 15 October 2026

The following signal relates to an ongoing outbreak, with data as of 14 October 2026

Disease or pathogen	Bundibugyo virus disease (BVD)
Location	Multi-country
Status	Update
Reporting date	15 May to 14 October 2026
Summary	On 15 May 2026, an outbreak of Ebola disease caused by Bundibugyo virus was declared in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and Uganda. On 17 May 2026, the WHO Director-General determined that the outbreak constitutes a public health emergency of international concern. The outbreak in DRC remains a public health emergency of international concern as of the latest WHO Emergency Committee meeting, held on 18 August 2026. As of 11 October 2026, 9,066 confirmed cases and 4,381 confirmed deaths have been reported in the DRC. This is an increase of 463 confirmed cases and 233 deaths since the last Outbreaks Under Monitoring report. Cases have been reported in 65 health zones across 7 provinces (Ituri, North Kivu, South Kivu, South-Ubangi, Haut-Uele, Bas-Uele and Tshopo), with Dakwa health zone reported as the latest to be affected. Although most cases have been reported in Ituri (6,695 cases, including 3,099 deaths), a general decrease in the number of newly reported cases in this province has been observed, while transmission has persisted in North Kivu (1,911 cases, including 1,092 deaths) and Haut-Uele (383 cases, including 162 deaths) provinces. Due to these heterogeneous transmission patterns across provinces, incidence remains high and fluctuating nationally. This has become the largest recorded BVD outbreak and is the second largest Ebola disease outbreak to date. On 6 October 2026, Kenya’s Ministry of Health reported the first confirmed case of BVD in Kenya, imported from the DRC. The case travelled from the DRC to Kampala, Uganda, by road and arrived in Nairobi via a flight on 3 October 2026. Samples from the case tested positive for Ebola Bundibugyo virus. The case was given supportive treatment but died on 5 October 2026. On 14 October 2026, Kenya’s MoH reported an additional confirmed case in a family member of the initial case. The case experienced symptom onset on 13 October 2026 while in quarantine. A total of 2 confirmed BVD cases, including one death has been reported in Kenya. As of 13 October 2026, 128 contacts have been listed, of which 113 have been traced and 108 have been quarantined in Kenya. An additional, 5 contacts have been identified outside of Kenya. On 27 August 2026, WHO and the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention declared the end of the outbreak in Uganda following no new cases since the last case was discharged from care on 16 July 2026. A total of 20 confirmed cases (including 2 deaths) were reported in Uganda. Of the confirmed cases, 15 were imported from the DRC and 5 were secondary cases among contacts. This is the 17th recorded Ebola disease outbreak in the DRC since the virus was first identified in 1976. The last reported outbreak, in Kasai Province, ended in December 2025. Bundibugyo virus was first identified in 2007 in Bundibugyo district, western Uganda. A second outbreak caused by Bundibugyo virus was reported in DRC in 2012. WHO continues to assess the risk of this event as very high in the DRC, high for countries with land borders adjoining the DRC, and low for the remaining countries in the African region, and globally. As of 14 October 2026, no imported cases associated with this outbreak have been reported in the UK. Previous experience from the 2014 to 2016 West Africa outbreak suggests a limited importation risk, with only one travel-related case reaching the UK outside of medical evacuations. The risk of the current outbreak to the UK population is assessed as low.
Further information	Ebola: overview, history, origins and transmission Ebola virus disease: clinical management and guidance Ebola and Marburg haemorrhagic fevers: outbreaks and case locations UKHSA blog: What is Ebola and how does it spread? NaTHNaC country information page: Democratic Republic of the Congo, Uganda, and Kenya.

Epidemiological week 41, 5 to 11 October 2026

Disease or pathogen	Crimean-Congo haemorrhagic fever (CCHF)
Location	Senegal
Status	Update
Reporting date	20 September 2026
Summary	In the week ending 20 September 2026, the Africa Centres for Disease Prevention and Control reported one new confirmed case of CCHF in Dakar region, Senegal. A total of 8 confirmed CCHF cases have been reported in 7 regions across Senegal in 2026. Senegal reports sporadic cases of CCHF annually. During 2025, 8 cases, including one death, were reported, all from Birkelane District. CCHF is not present in the UK, nor are there any identified established populations of Hyalomma ticks, the principal vectors of CCHF virus. Confirmed CCHF cases have been imported into the UK, including one fatal case in 2012 and one in 2014.
Further information	Crimean-Congo haemorrhagic fever: origins, reservoirs, transmission and guidelines HAIRS risk assessment: Crimean-Congo haemorrhagic fever NaTHNaC country information page: Senegal