Since mid-May 2026, more than 300 children have died in the Ebola outbreak in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), according to the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF). Children represent nearly a quarter of confirmed cases but account for almost a third of all deaths.

The outbreak is concentrated in Ituri province, the most affected area, where nearly one million people have been displaced by conflict, with women and children comprising around 80% of the displaced population, the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) reported.

The health crisis is severely disrupting essential healthcare services. UN Deputy Spokesperson Farhan Haq stated that in the hardest-hit areas, health service usage has dropped by over 40% in recent months due to fear of infection. This decline in healthcare access has particularly impacted pregnant women, with approximately six women dying weekly from childbirth-related complications, and Ebola infection during pregnancy linked to nearly universal fetal loss.

To address the outbreak, the Congolese health ministry, in partnership with the Africa Centres for Disease Control (Africa CDC), UNICEF, and the World Health Organization (WHO), has deployed around 13,000 community workers. WHO convened advisory groups after the Bundibugyo species outbreak was declared a Public Health Emergency of International Concern on 16 May 2026.

Health experts have urged trials of the only vaccine against Ebola to halt further spread of the rare Bundibugyo virus strain.

Sources