In brief
The Democratic Republic of the Congo’s Ministry of Health announced a death toll of 5,340 from its latest Ebola outbreak, up from earlier reports of over 5,000 deaths. The fatality rate remains above 50 percent, marking the outbreak as one of the most severe in recent history. International sources echo the high mortality, with a sustained call for more treatment options and global assistance.
In Kinshasa, the Democratic Republic of the Congo’s Ministry of Health announced on 31 October 2026 that the death toll from the country’s latest Ebola outbreak had climbed to 5,340.
The ministry said that as of 29 October, a total of 10,351 confirmed Ebola cases had been recorded, of which 5,340 had resulted in death. It added that the case fatality rate stood at 51.6 percent.
The outbreak has affected several provinces in the eastern part of the country, where communities have relied heavily on local clinics to manage the disease. Health workers report shortages of personal protective equipment and overwhelmed hospitals.
CGTN’s breaking news at 23 hours earlier also confirmed that the death toll has surpassed 5,000, with more than 10,000 confirmed infections, and quoted a fatality rate of nearly 50 percent.
An international report from Fox 40 (AP‑International) offers a slightly different figure, stating that 5,026 people had died from 10,351 cases, described as a nearly 50 per cent lethality rate.
Aljazeera reported that authorities were struggling to find a way to control the outbreak, noting the lack of approved treatments or vaccines. The rapid spread has prompted calls for increased international medical assistance.
With the death toll now above 5,300, the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo remains one of the most severe since the 1990s. Health officials continue to push for more resources and coordination with global health partners to curb the spread.
