Ebola outbreak in Congo becomes country's deadliest ever, could become world's largest

Ebola — a deadly virus that causes severe bleeding — has killed at least 2,325 people in the Democratic Republic of Congo, the country's worst outbreak on record, per government data reported 17 August 2026. The World Health Organization says it could exceed the 2014–16 west Africa epidemic (28,616 cases, 11,310 deaths) as the largest ever. The UN warns Ebola "is winning."