The world must accelerate efforts to contain the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), UN relief chief Tom Fletcher said on July 9, 2026. Since the outbreak was declared on May 15, the Bundibugyo species of the virus has infected more than 1,700 people and caused 600 deaths in the country.

Fletcher warned that although Ituri province remains the epicenter, the virus is spreading to other provinces due to ongoing conflict and displacement. He described the situation as one of the most complex humanitarian crises, compounded by hunger, weak basic services, and limited healthcare.

In response, the UN released up to $60 million in May to speed up the response in the DRC, prepare neighboring countries for potential spread, and build community trust in public health measures. The World Health Organization has collaborated with the UN peacekeeping mission MONUSCO to provide medical equipment and establish isolation and treatment units.

The UN’s Inter-Agency Standing Committee has activated a System-Wide Scale-Up to control the disease, and Senior Ebola Coordinator Julien Harneis has been deployed to support containment efforts.

“We know how to stop Ebola and we’re implementing our strategy,” Fletcher said. He emphasized that the best defense includes surveillance, laboratory testing, referral systems, infection prevention and control, and community engagement.

Sources