Note: Single-source report; awaiting corroboration.
DR Congo health authorities have documented 676 Ebola cases and 136 deaths linked to the Bundibugyo virus since the outbreak was confirmed about three weeks ago. Cases have been identified in 34 health zones, spanning approximately 1,000 kilometres from Aru in Ituri province to Miti Murhesa in South Kivu, with new infections recently reported in North Kivu.
Dr. Olivier le Polain, head of epidemiology and analytics at the World Health Organization, noted that the expanding number of affected health zones highlights the outbreak's scale, which may be larger than currently detected, compounded by high population mobility in the region.
Agencies responding to the crisis emphasize that many children in the region are malnourished and unvaccinated against common preventable diseases, making them especially vulnerable amid an already severe humanitarian emergency caused by ongoing conflict involving government forces and militias.
Dr. Douglas Noble of UNICEF warned that while most infections so far affect adults engaged in daily activities, increasing household transmission may lead to more cases among children. He emphasized that the community's ability to handle additional health crises is critically strained, with more than half of children under five in Ituri province experiencing chronic malnutrition and over one in five lacking initial vaccinations for diseases such as diphtheria, tetanus, and pertussis.
The number of potential child infections remains uncertain due to limited surveillance data. However, previous Ebola outbreaks in DR Congo show children often make up a significant portion of cases and deaths, particularly the youngest, who face the highest fatality rates and risks of orphanhood or separation from caregivers.
UNICEF's six-month emergency response aims to support 3.7 million people, with more than 100 tonnes of humanitarian supplies delivered by eight transport flights to the country, including protective equipment provided with support from the European Union.