A national count in the Democratic Republic of the Congo’s Bundibugyo Ebola outbreak passed 11,000 confirmed cases in figures covering 9 November. A subsequent count covering 10 November reached 11,114 confirmed cases and 5,433 confirmed deaths.
The 9 November national count was 11,042 confirmed cases and 5,387 confirmed deaths. A separate tally also described as applying to 9 November was lower, at 10,920 cases and 5,323 deaths. Those lower figures match an earlier snapshot through 7 November, but the reason for the difference between the two 9 November descriptions has not been established.
The 9 November figures were published on 10 November 2026. They and the later count are dated snapshots of an outbreak declared in May, not live totals or a final assessment of its impact. The newer count adds to the picture of the work facing teams trying to identify infections, care for patients and follow up people who may have been exposed.
Where cases have been reported
Confirmed cases have been reported in 67 health zones across eight of the country’s 26 provinces since the outbreak began. The affected provinces are Ituri, North Kivu, Haut-Uélé, Tshopo, Bas-Uélé, South Kivu, South Ubangi and North Ubangi. Being counted as affected does not mean that every zone or province has a current case.
Ituri has the largest cumulative burden. In the national count through 9 November, it had 7,684 confirmed cases and 3,628 confirmed deaths. North Kivu had 2,737 confirmed cases and 1,505 confirmed deaths. These were totals since the beginning of the outbreak, not counts for a single day.
For 9 November, the national figures included 52 newly confirmed cases: 30 in Ituri, 17 in North Kivu and five in Haut-Uélé. They also included 33 confirmed deaths during the reporting period, including 19 in communities and 14 in Ebola treatment centres. No additional health zone was recorded as newly affected that day.
The next daily update, covering 10 November, recorded 72 newly confirmed cases and 46 confirmed deaths. Reported daily additions do not necessarily mean every infection or death occurred on that day. The cumulative figures may change as information is reviewed.
The 9 November national death count is approximately 48.8 per cent of its cumulative confirmed case count. That simple ratio describes one set of reported totals at a particular point in an ongoing outbreak. It should not be treated as an individual patient’s predicted chance of dying, especially while cases and outcomes continue to be recorded.
Following contacts
On 9 November, health teams were monitoring 33,900 contacts. Of those, 27,012 were seen during the preceding 24 hours, a follow-up rate of 79.7 per cent. The required threshold is 95 per cent.
Contact follow-up helps teams identify illness quickly among people who may have been exposed. Being listed as a contact does not mean someone has Ebola. The gap between the number being monitored and the number seen on a particular day does not, by itself, explain why individual checks were missed.
For 10 November, 31,528 of 36,863 contacts under follow-up were seen in the preceding 24 hours, a rate of 85.5 per cent. The latter rate was higher than the 9 November figure but remained below the required threshold.
Care alongside outbreak control
Bundibugyo virus is one of the viruses that can cause Ebola disease. It can spread between people through direct contact with the blood or other bodily fluids of someone who is ill or has died, or through contaminated materials. Early symptoms can include fever, fatigue, muscle pain, headache and a sore throat, which can resemble other illnesses. Laboratory testing is needed to confirm the infection.
There is no approved vaccine or specific treatment for Bundibugyo virus disease. Supportive care, including fluid replacement and treatment of symptoms, can improve the chances of survival. Research is under way to assess vaccine candidates and potential medicines; participation in a trial is not proof that a product works.
The response also includes testing, infection prevention, contact tracing, safe and dignified burials and engagement with communities. Insecurity, difficult journeys and gaps in health services can obstruct efforts to reach people and sustain routine care. These pressures form part of the response context; the figures alone do not show how much any one factor contributed to the deaths recorded.
Health workers are also trying to maintain other essential services while responding to Ebola. Continued surveillance and later updates will be needed to understand how transmission and the response are changing.
