The Ebola outbreak caused by the Bundibugyo virus continues to affect the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and Uganda, with the number of confirmed infections in the DRC approaching 1,800, according to the latest health update issued on Friday.

Health authorities in the DRC reported 1,792 confirmed Ebola cases and 625 related deaths as of July 8, marking an increase of 33 new cases and 25 additional deaths since the previous reporting period.

A total of 764 patients are currently hospitalized in isolation, while 295 people have recovered from the disease.

The latest infections have been reported in the eastern provinces of Ituri and North Kivu. Authorities are also investigating two suspected cases in Kisangani, located in neighboring Tshopo Province. One of those cases has been linked to Ituri, although neither has yet been included in the official case count pending further investigation.

According to health officials, 78.6% of identified contacts of confirmed cases are currently under active monitoring in Ituri and North Kivu.

Ituri Province continues to be the center of the outbreak, accounting for 1,631 confirmed cases and 535 deaths across 25 of its 36 health zones.

In North Kivu, authorities have recorded 158 confirmed cases, including 89 deaths, affecting 11 of 34 health zones.

Meanwhile, South Kivu has reported three confirmed cases, including one death, from a single health zone.

Overall, Ebola cases have now been identified in 37 of the 104 health zones across the three affected provinces.

In neighboring Uganda, the Ministry of Health has confirmed 20 Ebola cases, including two deaths, as of July 9.

The country has not recorded a new confirmed case since June 21, with 16 patients having recovered.

Of Uganda's confirmed cases, 15 were linked to travel from the DRC, while five resulted from local transmission.

Health officials also reported two imported Ebola cases outside Africa in recent weeks.

In May 2026, a U.S. citizen infected with the Bundibugyo virus was medically evacuated from the DRC to Germany for treatment.

A second imported case was confirmed in France on June 24, involving another individual who had traveled from an outbreak-affected area in the DRC.

Despite the ongoing outbreak and isolated imported cases, the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) said the risk of infection for people living in the European Union and European Economic Area (EU/EEA) remains very low.

The agency noted that surveillance and epidemiological challenges remain in the affected regions but said it is continuing to monitor the situation closely and will update its risk assessment as new information becomes available. (ILKHA)