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The death rate among confirmed Ebola cases in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DR Congo) has exceeded 50%, following an upward revision of the country’s official death toll as the outbreak continues to spread across several provinces.
According to a Bloomberg report, citing the country’s National Institute of Public Health, the outbreak has recorded 10,414 confirmed infections and 5,372 deaths, bringing the case-fatality ratio to 51.6%.
The development comes as the United States announced additional travel restrictions targeting passengers with recent travel history to DR Congo, amid concerns over the continued spread of the disease.
The restrictions, scheduled to take effect late Tuesday, November 3, 2026, will require international travellers boarding US-bound flights to declare whether they have visited DR Congo within the preceding 21 days.
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DR Congo Ebola Fatality Rate Hits 51.6%
According to health authorities, the increase in the reported fatality rate followed a review of mortality records across 97% of affected health zones in Ituri province, the epicentre of the outbreak.
- The review identified 314 previously unallocated Ebola deaths, which were subsequently added to the province’s cumulative death toll.
- This adjustment increased the reported case-fatality ratio from 48.6% to 51.6% within two days, despite the number of confirmed infections rising by only 140 during the same period.
- Health authorities continue to record dozens of new infections daily, with the outbreak spreading to eight provinces and 67 health zones.
- The epidemic is now the largest Ebola outbreak recorded in DR Congo and the second-largest globally, following the 2013–2016 West African outbreak.
Although infections have been reported beyond DR Congo, transmission in neighbouring countries remains limited.
US Tightens Travel Restrictions on DR Congo
The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) announced on Sunday that international travellers would face additional screening and boarding requirements in response to the outbreak.
- Under the new measures, passengers must attest that they have not been in DR Congo during the previous 21 days before boarding flights to the United States.
- Travellers who have visited the country within that period will generally be prohibited from boarding US-bound commercial flights.
The restrictions could affect international travel arrangements, particularly for passengers transiting through other countries after visiting DR Congo.
Nigeria Intensifies Ebola Surveillance Measures
Nigeria has also intensified surveillance following concerns about the possible spread of Ebola across African borders.
- On November 1, Nairametrics reported that two suspected Ebola cases in Adamawa State tested negative after two rounds of laboratory testing. The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) confirmed that no infection had been recorded in the state and urged the public to avoid spreading unverified information.
- The development followed Nigeria’s first confirmed Ebola infection in more than a decade, recorded on October 20, involving a 42-year-old woman who had recently arrived from Uganda.
- However, the World Health Organisation subsequently confirmed that Nigeria had no remaining Ebola patients within its borders following the medical evacuation of the infected woman and her husband to Switzerland on October 26.
Despite the evacuation, Nigerian authorities continued monitoring identified contacts to rule out further transmission.
The Federal Government also disclosed that Nigeria could declare the Ebola outbreak over by December 7, 2026, provided no additional confirmed or probable cases emerge and the World Health Organisation validates the required 42-day surveillance period.
Meanwhile, the outbreak has raised concerns about funding accountability. Africa CDC questioned more than $700 million in Ebola response funding in DR Congo after several organisations failed to provide adequate financial records.
