October 2, 2026 — Update to our October 1 story. Congolese government data reported on October 2 put the Ebola outbreak at 8,300 confirmed cases and 4,018 deaths. A Doctors Without Borders worker who caught the virus was flown to the Netherlands for treatment, and a suspected case at a Montreal hospital turned out to be a false alarm.
What changed since yesterday
- New totals: Reuters reports 4,018 deaths and 8,300 confirmed cases across seven provinces, with more than 2,000 people recovered. Yesterday we reported more than 8,000 cases and nearly 4,000 deaths.
- Trend: Reuters says spread is slowing in parts of Ituri province but moving fast elsewhere. CBS News reports that more than 50 health workers have died and that some health workers are on strike over unpaid wages.
- Aid worker evacuated: a Doctors Without Borders (MSF) staff member working on the response tested positive for the Bundibugyo strain. BNO News reports the patient arrived in the Netherlands on Thursday, October 1, and is in a high-level isolation unit at Leiden University Medical Center. No Dutch travel measures have been announced.
- Montreal false alarm: the CHUM hospital in Montreal said on the afternoon of October 1 that it was evaluating a patient for possible Ebola. The test came back negative that evening and isolation was lifted, CP24 reports.
Entry rules (unchanged)
- United States: the CDC page, updated October 1, says US citizens who have been in DR Congo should plan to stay outside DR Congo for 21 days before entering the US. Travelers coming from Uganda or South Sudan must enter through designated airports for screening. The CDC says there are no US cases and the risk to the public is low.
- CDC notice levels: Level 3 for parts of DR Congo and Level 2 for DR Congo and Uganda. Both date from June 15.
- Canada: CP24 reports Canada’s travel restrictions for DR Congo, Uganda and South Sudan run through November 27, 2026.
What it means for airline travelers
- Check the rules before any trip that touches DR Congo, Uganda or South Sudan. The 21-day rule and designated-airport routing can break a standby itinerary, and you cannot fix it at the gate.
- Amsterdam and Montreal are unaffected. Neither event changes anything for passengers at Schiphol or Montréal-Trudeau.
- Health questions: read the CDC and Government of Canada notices and talk to a travel-health clinic before going to the region.
- Insurance: confirm medical evacuation cover. Some policies exclude areas under a government “avoid travel” notice.
Sources
- Reuters via WHBL — Congo’s Ebola outbreak has killed more than 4,000, government data shows
- CBS News — Ebola death toll in Congo tops 4,000 in fastest-growing outbreak of the disease on record
- US CDC (official) — Ebola Outbreak: Current Situation
- BNO News — Aid worker with Ebola evacuated from the DRC to Netherlands
- AFP via African Insider — Ebola-positive aid worker evacuated from DR Congo to Netherlands
- CP24 / The Canadian Press — Montreal hospital rules out potential Ebola case
