A Bundibugyo virus disease outbreak centered in the Democratic Republic of the Congo has reached Kenya and Nigeria through travel-linked cases, the World Health Organization reported as of October 20, 2026.
The DRC had recorded 9,704 confirmed cases and 4,687 deaths by that date, placing the crude case fatality ratio at 48.3%. The outbreak spans 66 health zones across eight provinces, according to WHO.
Since a previous WHO disease outbreak update on October 8, 2026, an additional 482 deaths were recorded in the DRC. Of those, 307 occurred in communities rather than treatment centres, and 175 occurred inside treatment centres. WHO said the high proportion of community deaths points to difficulties in early case detection and timely access to care.
Kenya's Ministry of Health confirmed the country's first laboratory case on October 6, 2026, in a person who had traveled from the DRC through Uganda. By October 20, Kenya had reported nine total cases, including one death. The eight subsequent cases were each identified as contacts of that first imported patient. WHO found no evidence of broader community transmission in Kenya.
Nigeria confirmed an imported case on October 20, 2026. The patient is located in the Federal Capital Territory Abuja and had traveled to Nigeria from Uganda. The patient has been placed in isolation and is receiving medical care. Investigators are working to establish the patient's full travel history and exposure source.
WHO recommended no restrictions on travel to or trade with the affected countries, and called for cross-border surveillance and points-of-entry monitoring across the region.