The earliest known case in the 2026 Ebola outbreak appeared in late April in the Ituri province of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). The exact source of the outbreak remains unknown, though scientists suspect a spillover event involving infected wildlife, most likely fruit bats, which are considered natural reservoirs of Ebola viruses. The disease spread undetected for several weeks before health authorities officially confirmed the outbreak on May 15, 2026.
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