Congo Ebola Outbreak

The Ebola crisis in Congo has become the fastest-spreading on record and passed 1,000 deaths.

This year’s Ebola outbreak has spread faster than the worst on record

By the Numbers: This year’s Ebola outbreak has spread faster than the worst on record

'This is a Fire' – Congo Ebola Outbreak Fastest Spreading in History

Summary

A neutral summary of the key facts most outlets agree on, drawn from reporting across the political spectrum.

The Ebola outbreak in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo has surpassed 1,000 deaths, with health authorities reporting 1,033 confirmed deaths among 2,536 recorded cases. The toll was reached just over two months after the outbreak was declared on May 15, a faster rise to 1,000 deaths than the 2014-2016 West Africa epidemic. Cases are concentrated in conflict-affected Ituri and North Kivu, where community resistance and attacks on health teams have hampered containment. Responders are treating patients and isolating hundreds more while working without an approved vaccine or treatment.

The Coverage

How outlets are covering this story: how much of the coverage argues a viewpoint, and the angles that emerged — built only from the analysis and opinion pieces, never from straight reporting. Each dot is one article, placed by its outlet's bias — left to right. How to read our graphics →

Reportinglittle to no commentary — just the facts.

What the analysis & opinion pieces argue

Historic spread

The Ebola outbreak in Congo and nearby areas is accelerating at a historic pace. Reaching major death and spread milestones so quickly makes it one of the fastest-moving Ebola crises and raises the stakes for containment.