Published on: 2026-10-23
Source: United Nations – Объединенные Нации –
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October 23, 2026 Healthcare
The Ebola fever continues to spread in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), and additional resources are urgently needed to combat this deadly disease. This was stated by UN agencies on Friday.
“If we weaken our efforts, the virus will very quickly gain strength, continue spreading to new territories, and pose a threat to the country, the region, and the entire world,” warned Catherine Smallwood, the World Health Organization (WHO) representative in the DRC.
The DRC remains the epicenter of the outbreak of the disease caused by the Ebola virus (Bundibugyo variant), which was officially declared in mid-May. The epidemic began in the unstable eastern regions of the country and has now spread to eight provinces. The latest affected province is Nord-Ubangi in the northwest of the DRC.
To date, 9,765 cases of the disease have been registered, of which almost half – 4,727 – have resulted in death. In addition, about 30,000 people who had contact with the infected are under daily observation.
A smaller-scale Ebola outbreak in Uganda officially ended in August. Cases of the disease have also been confirmed in Kenya, Nigeria, and France.
A significant territory of the country is affected by the epidemic
Almost six months after the outbreak began, the situation is complicated by the fact that the disease is spreading over a vast area, increasingly affecting hard-to-reach and remote regions. Some settlements can only be reached after several days by boat or motorcycle; there is no road or air connection there.
The crisis is unfolding against the backdrop of ongoing armed conflict, hunger, and mass displacement. The World Food Programme (WFP) is working to ensure that affected families receive sufficient food. In addition, the agency is involved in constructing Ebola treatment centers and undertaking other response measures.
Aid for starving families
Speaking to journalists in Geneva via video link, WFP representative in the DRC David Stevenson spoke about people whose survival now entirely depends on international support. In particular, he mentioned Francine Birungi Amoti, who lost a child due to Ebola and is now raising six remaining children, as well as an infant entrusted to her care. Due to the ongoing armed conflict, she is unable to work on her agricultural land.
“For Francine, food aid means the ability to feed the children under her care, because attempting to reach her fields could cost her life,” he said, speaking from the country’s capital, Kinshasa. “This is exactly what the crisis on top of the existing crisis looks like: illness and the pain of loss are worsened by insecurity and hunger.”
Late detection and hospitalization
Smallwood also pointed to another serious problem: the number of people dying from Ebola outside official treatment centers remains consistently high, indicating late detection of cases at the community level.
Over the past week, the number of deaths at home or outside specialized centers has decreased, indicating the effectiveness of early detection measures and the prompt referral of patients for treatment. However, according to WHO data, in some areas of the eastern part of the DRC, patients have to visit several different medical facilities before being referred to Ebola treatment centers.
New beds for patients
According to Smallwood, the quality of medical care in Ebola treatment centers has significantly improved recently. WHO set a goal to create three thousand beds in the areas affected by the epidemic, and currently more than two thousand of them are already available.
A WHO representative also emphasized a hopeful fact: 2,600 people in the DRC have already managed to overcome the disease and survive after contracting Ebola. Special clinics are being opened for them, where medical monitoring and treatment of associated complications are carried out. They also receive psychosocial support.
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