How the DRC Is Using Mobile Phone Data to Fight Ebola

The Democratic Republic of Congo is using anonymised mobile phone data to predict where Ebola could appear next. This is the first time an Ebola response has used the approach. Health officials use the data to map how people travel between towns. They can then prepare areas at risk before cases are detected.

Why the Ebola Outbreak in the DRC Needs New Tools

The Ebola outbreak in the DRC is the fastest-growing Ebola outbreak on record, according to the WHO. Authorities declared the outbreak on 15 May 2026 in Ituri province. By 21 September, the DRC had reported 7,773 confirmed cases and 3,759 deaths. Cases have now been confirmed in seven provinces.

The outbreak is caused by the Bundibugyo virus, which has no approved vaccine or treatment. Early detection is therefore vital. Responders need to know where infected people may travel. The WHO reported on 23 September that cases in Ituri fell by about 26% over 21 days. North Kivu recorded a 73% rise over the same period.

📊 Indicator	🔢 Figure
Confirmed cases (to 21 September 2026)	7,773
Deaths among confirmed cases	3,759
Recovered patients	1,935
Most affected province	Ituri, with 5,966 cases
Provinces with confirmed cases	7
Time to pass 1,000 confirmed cases	Within 40 days (2018 outbreak: about 235 days)

How Mobile Phone Data Tracks Movement Without Names

Mobile phone data shows how groups of people move, not where one person goes. Each time a phone connects to the network, the antenna involved creates a record. As people travel, their phones connect to different antennas. Researchers use these records to estimate travel between areas.

Vodacom provides the data free of charge, Reuters reports. Vodacom is the largest operator in the DRC. Flowminder says it receives only aggregated and anonymised records. The group has no access to information that identifies individual subscribers.

Traditional risk assessments assume the virus spreads mainly to areas next to a hotspot. Mobility data can reveal places that are far away but closely linked by travel. Olivier Le Polain of the WHO Health Emergencies Programme points to Ituri as an example. Mining and trade drive large population movements in the province. Vodacom is also working with Orange on solar-powered base stations for rural parts of the DRC.

Flowminder Maps Where Ebola Could Spread Next

Flowminder is a Swedish non-profit that specialises in population data. Its first analysis came out in early June. The study focused on Bunia, Mongbwalu and Rwampara, where the outbreak is believed to have started. Researchers tracked where people who had been in those areas between 3 and 23 April travelled next.

By the end of June, all 10 destinations with the largest flows of travellers had reported confirmed Ebola cases. Flowminder founder Linus Bengtsson explains the logic simply. Estimates of how people move help predict how infectious people move. The analysis has since flagged these risk areas:

• Kisangani:
  By mid-June the data showed a significant risk for this Congo River transport hub, so the WHO strengthened operations there before the first cases were detected.
• Kinshasa:
  Fifteen of the 50 areas most connected to Kisangani are in Kinshasa province, which points to a risk of spread to the capital.
• Border areas:
  Newer studies link Kisangani to settlements along the Congo River and to areas near the borders with the Central African Republic and South Sudan.

Mobile tools have supported Ebola responses before. During the West African epidemic, ICT helped responders fight Ebola through reporting apps and free information services. The DRC now adds network movement data to that toolkit.

Coverage Gaps Limit Mobile Phone Data

The analysis currently relies on one operator. Vodacom has more than 26 million active subscriptions and a market share of nearly 35%. The data therefore misses people who use rival networks. Airtel and Orange each hold about 30% of the market. Africell holds just under 5%.

The records also come from Congolese networks only. They give only a partial picture of movement across international borders. Flowminder and UN officials say they are working on agreements with other operators. More operators would widen coverage and add detail.

The WHO continues to publish official updates on the Bundibugyo outbreak. These reports show where cases are. Mobility analysis adds a view of where risk may travel next.

Conclusion: Phone Networks Join the Fight Against the Bundibugyo Virus

The DRC response shows that telecom networks can support public health at scale. With no approved vaccine for the Bundibugyo virus, early warning buys responders time. The WHO now sees the first signs of progress in some provinces, while cases still rise in others. Vodacom has used its DRC network for health work before, including a free mobile health service for mothers and babies. If more operators share anonymised data, you can expect a clearer picture of how the outbreak moves.