The Ebola outbreak that began in mid-May in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) has resulted in the deaths of more than 300 children, the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) reported on Friday, August 7th, 2026. Children constitute nearly a quarter of confirmed cases but account for almost a third of all deaths.

The crisis is centered in Ituri province, the most affected area, where nearly one million people have been displaced by conflict, with women and children making up around 80 percent of those displaced, according to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA).

The outbreak involves the rare Bundibugyo species of the Ebola virus, which the World Health Organization (WHO) declared a Public Health Emergency of International Concern on May 16th. In response, WHO convened advisory groups and, alongside partners such as the Africa Centres for Disease Control (Africa CDC) and UNICEF, has supported the deployment of approximately 13,000 community workers to assist the Congolese health ministry.

The outbreak has severely disrupted essential healthcare services. UN Deputy Spokesperson Farhan Haq noted in New York that in the hardest-hit areas, health service usage has dropped by more than 40 percent in recent months due to fear of infection. This has particularly impacted pregnant women, with roughly six women dying weekly from childbirth-related complications, compounded by Ebola’s association with almost universal fetal loss during pregnancy.

Health experts have urged trials of the only vaccine available against the disease to help halt the further spread of the Bundibugyo virus.

Sources