The Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) has continued to spread geographically, with the World Health Organisation (WHO) reporting cases across 61 health zones in six provinces.

The WHO disclosed this in its latest outbreak situation update issued on Thursday, saying the outbreak had expanded to Kayna Health Zone in North Kivu.

The affected provinces are Bas-Uélé, Haut-Uélé, Ituri, North Kivu, South Kivu and Tshopo.

Transmission remains a concern

According to the latest WHO update, transmission patterns remain variable, with evidence of continued geographical expansion and sustained increases in cases across some affected health zones despite ongoing response efforts.

The agency said delayed detection remained a major concern, increasing the risk of further transmission within households, communities and healthcare facilities.

It said limited access to early treatment and difficulties in interrupting transmission were also contributing to the challenges faced by the response.

In addition, the WHO said these challenges required strengthened surveillance, rapid response measures and early treatment to help interrupt transmission.

As of 7 September, the DRC had recorded 6,757 confirmed Ebola cases caused by the Bundibugyo virus, including 3,267 deaths.

The figures represent a crude case fatality ratio of 48.3 per cent, according to the WHO.

Outbreak challenges

The latest development comes less than a month after the WHO described the outbreak as the second-largest Ebola outbreak on record.

At the time, 4,449 confirmed cases had been recorded across 53 health zones in five provinces.

The WHO had also warned that the outbreak was spreading faster than previous Ebola outbreaks at the same stage and was on course to potentially surpass the 2014–2016 West African outbreak, which remains the largest recorded Ebola outbreak.

The outbreak is caused by the rare Bundibugyo species of Ebola virus.

READ ALSO: UK increases Ebola response funding to £78.7m

Unlike the Zaire species, which has caused several previous Ebola outbreaks and for which the Ervebo vaccine is used, there is currently no licensed vaccine specifically approved for Bundibugyo virus disease.

In August, the WHO said a high proportion of cases were being detected in communities rather than treatment centres and outside known contact lists, suggesting that some chains of transmission remained unidentified.

The agency had said response measures included contact tracing, treatment centres, safe burial teams, laboratories and community engagement activities.

The WHO said the continued geographical expansion of the outbreak highlights the need to strengthen surveillance and ensure early detection and treatment, particularly in affected communities and healthcare facilities.

Comrade Daniel Onjeh has challenged a claimant to the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) senatorial ticket for Benue South to produce documents backing his claim to the party’s ticket.

Recall that Pastor David Ogbole has claimed that he is the duly nominated NDC senatorial candidate for Benue South and denied allegations that he relinquished his ticket to Comrade Daniel Onjeh in exchange for money.

Reacting, however, Onjeh, who described the renewed claim as a distraction, urged his supporters to remain calm and focused as the 2027 Benue South senatorial race gathers momentum.

He said there could not be two candidates of the same political party for the same elective position, insisting that any person claiming to be the NDC candidate must provide evidence of his nomination.

“If anyone claims that he was duly nominated as the candidate of the NDC, the matter is very simple: let him produce the documents. Let him show evidence that the party cleared him to contest.

“Let him produce the receipt for the purchase of his nomination form and evidence that he fulfilled the requirements of the nomination process.

Let him show where the party declared him its candidate and where his name was forwarded to INEC,” Onjeh said.

He argued that announcing oneself as a candidate on social media does not amount to securing a political party’s ticket.

According to him, the party has the prerogative to present candidates for elections, subject to relevant laws and regulations.

Onjeh also denied ever negotiating with anyone over the purchase, sale or relinquishment of the NDC senatorial ticket.
“I have never said anywhere that I bought anybody’s ticket. I neither offered nor negotiated money with anybody in exchange for a senatorial ticket. There was no such discussion, transaction or agreement,” he stated.

He, however, said any personal financial assistance he may have offered an individual had nothing to do with the purchase or relinquishment of the NDC senatorial ticket.

Onjeh further challenged the claimant to publish the statement of his OPay account for Saturday, July 11, 2026, following the latter’s public challenge over alleged financial transactions between them.

“Whatever personal financial assistance I may have rendered had absolutely nothing to do with the purchase, sale or relinquishment of a political ticket.

The two issues are entirely different and should not be deliberately mixed up,” he said.

The former senatorial candidate also questioned the claimant’s political activities, alleging that the individual had been seeking the support of candidates of two other political parties in the race.

Onjeh said such alleged actions raised questions about the independence of the NDC senatorial aspiration.
“To my mind, that amounts to mortgaging the independence of the NDC senatorial ticket even before the race begins,” he said.

He maintained that since joining the NDC, he had refrained from making unilateral declarations about his status in the party, stressing that his participation in party activities had been based on the recognition accorded him by the party leadership.

Onjeh urged his supporters not to insult or attack anyone over the controversy, saying they should remain focused on the broader objective of securing better representation for Benue South.

“My message to our supporters is simple: relax. Do not insult anybody. Do not join issues with anybody. Do not allow yourselves to be distracted,” he said.

He added: “Let the documents speak. Let the party processes speak. At the appropriate time, the official records will speak. “We remain focused. No distractions.”