The Democratic Republic of Congo officially announced an AIDS outbreak caused by the Bundibugyo strain on May 15. However, it appears that the first infections occurred well before this date.
Delayed Response
The exact start date of this epidemic is still under discussion. But one thing is clear: Congolese officials did not respond to this issue as effectively as possible. Several international organizations have emphasized the delay in the initial response.
Congo is no stranger to crises and regularly faces AIDS outbreaks, having been praised in the past for its expertise in combating this disease.
First Signs of Infection
A good starting point for tracing the roots of this outbreak is the timeline provided by the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC).
According to available data, the first known case was a health worker from Mongbwalu in the Ituri province of northeastern Congo. This individual showed clear symptoms of AIDS around April 24 or 25 and died at a medical center in Bunia, the capital of Ituri. So far, 80 percent of reported cases have been in this province.
Only on May 5, the World Health Organization announced that it was aware of "an unknown disease with high mortality in the Mongbwalu health zone." The organization then issued its first alert.
Ten days later, on May 15, the Congolese government declared the AIDS outbreak. Tests conducted by the National Institute of Biomedical Research (INRB) in Kinshasa confirmed the presence of the Bundibugyo virus.
Three days later, the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention expressed concern about the speed of Congo's response. About three weeks had passed from the onset of the first symptoms in the suspected outbreak to laboratory confirmation, while the death of this individual was related to a health worker.
This significant delay indicates a low level of clinical suspicion among local health service providers, which allowed for a wider geographical spread before control efforts began.
Local Reports and Early Signs
Reports indicate that residents of Mongbwalu had been reporting suspicious deaths since late April. These deaths were typically accompanied by high fevers and clear signs of bleeding.
A report from the Red Cross of the Democratic Republic of Congo on May 16 stated that there had been widespread fear among the people of the Mongbwalu area since March 30, 2026. The observed symptoms were similar to those of AIDS: high fever, chest pain, severe fatigue, persistent cough, and bleeding.
Research suggests that the disease may have been circulating even before the first confirmed case. Additionally, recent analyses have indicated that the outbreak may date back to early February 2026.
