International Relationsv1 · 1 version
Ebola Outbreak in DR Congo (2026)
The Democratic Republic of the Congo is fighting the worst Ebola epidemic in its history. Declared in mid-May 2026, it had reached 6,186 confirmed cases and 3,007 deaths by 2 September, government data shows, making it the fastest-growing outbreak of the disease on record. It is caused by the Bundibugyo species of the virus, for which no vaccine or treatment is approved, and it has spread across six provinces of the country's conflict-torn north-east. Only the West African epidemic of 2014 to 2016 has killed more.
Last updated 3 September 20266 min read
Latest update
Deaths in Congo's Ebola epidemic passed 3,000 on 2 September 2026, at 3,007 against 6,186 confirmed cases, making it the largest and deadliest outbreak in the country's history and the second worst ever recorded. WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said the response must be scaled up because transmission chains are still going untracked, and asked donors to fund the $1.3 billion Congolese-led plan. Efficacy trials of three candidate vaccines against the Bundibugyo species are due to start in October or November.
- Ebola
- Democratic Republic of Congo
- Bundibugyo virus
- WHO
- Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus
- Ervebo
- outbreak
- public health
Read the full living note — free
The complete note in both exam lenses (UPSC analytical / fact capsule), its full version history, and “what changed since you last read” — plus tonight's quiz.
Open in CA·WikiAI-assisted, human-reviewed · sourced from PIB, RBI & ministries · editorial policy
More living notes in International Relations
- The West Asia War & India's StakesIndia has now spoken: the External Affairs Ministry condemned the Houthi attacks on Saudi cities and called threats to freedom of navigation in the Bab-el-Mandeb unacceptable. Behind that statement, US Central Command says it destroyed five Iranian crude tankers on 8 September, and the Revolutionary Guard says it answered with ballistic missiles on a US-used base in Jordan and attacks on ten ships near the Strait of Hormuz.
- India-US Relations - Tariffs & TiesIndia's Commerce Secretary says the trade deal is nearly done. At the Global Fintech Fest in Mumbai on 9 September 2026, Rajesh Agrawal called it "more or less" finalised, with a few points still under discussion and signature to come at an appropriate time. The remaining work is an access framework: India mostly charges most-favoured-nation duties while the United States is using executive tariffs, so the pact has to give India a margin its competitors do not get. Nothing has been signed.
- India-Sri Lanka RelationsSigned in Colombo: two defence MoUs - upgrading six L70 air-defence guns for the Sri Lanka Air Force under an Indian grant, and cadet-corps plus war-college cooperation - with three Indian-built Bailey bridges opened and President Dissanayake repeating that Sri Lankan territory will not be used against India's security interests.
- India at the WorldSkills CompetitionSets out India's entry to the 48th WorldSkills Competition in Shanghai: 63 of 64 skills, about 70 competitors and eleven trades contested for the first time.
- India-Luxembourg RelationsAdded Xavier Bettel's public backing for a permanent Indian seat on the UN Security Council, made during his 7-9 September 2026 visit: he wants the Council enlarged to take in India and Brazil, calls the veto a relic of the Second World War, and would let a two-thirds majority overturn one.
- India-China Relations — The Cautious ResetAdded the first flag meeting of senior highest military commanders in the eastern sector - Wacha in Arunachal Pradesh on 6 September 2026, Damai on the Chinese side a day later - which the MEA traced to Special Representative understandings of August 2025 and August 2026; a comparable mechanism already runs in the Western Sector.