:COUNTER [links:https://www.nbcnews.com/world/africa/congo-ebola-outbreak-deaths-top-5000-fear-continent-wide-spread-mounts-rcna606677]
5,026 Deaths confirmed in the 2026 Ebola outbreak

:STATS [links:https://www.cdc.gov/ebola/situation-summary/index.html]
[icon:FIRE] Total confirmed cases | 10,351
[icon:CHART] Case fatality rate | ~49%
[icon:USERS] Recovered | 2,788
[icon:TRENDING_UP] Provinces affected in DRC | 8 of 26
[icon:TRENDING_UP] Health zones with active cases | 50
[icon:TRENDING_DOWN] New cases from known contacts | ~20%
Countries with confirmed cases | DRC, Kenya, Nigeria, Uganda, France

:MAP
1.5,28,Ituri Province -- epicentre (9,782 cases)
0.49,29.47,Beni -- North Kivu secondary epicentre
-1.29,36.82,Nairobi -- 9 cases, 2 deaths (Kenya)
9.07,7.4,Abuja -- 1 case (Nigeria)

:INFO [links:https://www.who.int/emergencies/situations/ebola-outbreak---drc-2026]
Why containment is failing
The Bundibugyo strain of Ebola has no approved vaccine or specific treatment.
Doctors treat symptoms only. About 80% of new infections come from outside monitored contact chains.
One-third of deaths occurred outside treatment centres before patients were tested.
Armed conflict between the DRC government and the Rwanda-backed M23 rebel group blocks access.
Community mistrust has led to attacks on facilities. On 31 Oct, workers at the Tchomia centre
in Ituri downed tools demanding four months of unpaid wages while five confirmed patients
and ten suspected cases remained under care. Similar stoppages have occurred in Beni.

:QUOTE [links:https://www.nbcnews.com/world/africa/congo-ebola-outbreak-deaths-top-5000-fear-continent-wide-spread-mounts-rcna606677, quotetype:plain, subtitle:Dr Patrick Otim]
It is a very tragic milestone because it is just not a number. It is families and communities that have been devastated by this outbreak. The number also shows the severity of this outbreak.

:TIMELINE [links:https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2026/10/31/ebola-death-toll-in-dr-congo-passes-5000]
2026 Ebola outbreak: how it reached 5,000 deaths
2026-05-15 | DRC Ministry of Health declares Bundibugyo Ebola outbreak in Ituri Province
2026-05-16 | WHO declares Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC)
2026-05-21 | Treatment centre torched by residents in Mongbwalu; 18 patients escape
2026-06-01 | Cases reach Beni in North Kivu; MSF opens three treatment centres
2026-08-24 | Second WHO IHR Emergency Committee meeting; outbreak declared "complex"
2026-10-06 | Kenya confirms first imported case; index patient dies in Nairobi
2026-10-20 | Nigeria confirms first case -- wife of Swiss diplomat who flew from Uganda
2026-10-27 | Total confirmed cases cross 10,000 -- fastest-growing Ebola outbreak on record
2026-10-29 | Deaths cross 5,000 per DRC Ministry of Health data
2026-10-30 | Saudi Arabia suspends travel to Kenya and halts all visas over Ebola concerns
2026-10-31 | AP reports 5,026 deaths, 10,351 cases; Tchomia workers strike for unpaid wages

:CHECKLIST [links:https://www.cdc.gov/ebola/situation-summary/index.html]
What happens next
[ ] Kenya awaiting second Ebola tests for several patients -- results expected 2 Nov 2026
[ ] Kenya expects 5 patients discharged and 46 contacts cleared from quarantine on 3 Nov 2026
[ ] DRC central government response to wage arrears for health workers -- no date set
[ ] WHO third IHR Emergency Committee review -- date not announced
[ ] Possible WHO escalation if spread continues beyond current five countries
[ ] Saudi Arabia travel restrictions on Kenya -- Kenya requesting review, no timeline given
[ ] No vaccine or treatment trial approved for Bundibugyo strain -- research ongoing

:NOTE
Not yet confirmed: whether the Tchomia worker strike has ended; Nigeria contact-cluster results.
Uganda was declared Ebola-free in Sep 2026. The French case recovered. Last updated 16:00 UTC 31 Oct 2026.
Sources: AP via NBC News and ABC News (31 Oct 2026); Al Jazeera (02:51 UTC 31 Oct 2026);
CDC situation summary; WHO PHEIC page; BBC (15:16 UTC 31 Oct 2026).

:LINK
https://www.nbcnews.com/world/africa/congo-ebola-outbreak-deaths-top-5000-fear-continent-wide-spread-mounts-rcna606677
NBC News / AP: Congo Ebola deaths top 5,000 -- 31 Oct 2026

:LINK
https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2026/10/31/ebola-death-toll-in-dr-congo-passes-5000
Al Jazeera: Ebola death toll in DR Congo passes 5,000 -- 31 Oct 2026

:LINK
https://www.cdc.gov/ebola/situation-summary/index.html
CDC: 2026 Ebola outbreak situation summary