Note: Single-source report; awaiting corroboration.
The Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DR Congo) is the deadliest in the country's history, with 5,290 cases and 2,516 deaths reported by health authorities as of 21 August 2026. The fatality rate stands at 47.6%, with 1,152 recoveries and nearly 840 patients still isolated or hospitalized. Contact follow-up is at 82.9%, according to the latest data.
UN Senior Ebola Coordinator Julien Harneis warns the disease is spreading exponentially. Half of all reported deaths have occurred in the last 20 days, and the outbreak now affects an area larger than France, expanding faster than the Ebola response. The outbreak is concentrated in six eastern provinces: Ituri, North Kivu, South Kivu, Haut-Uélé, Tshopo, and Bas-Uélé.
Harneis described the conditions as "brutal," citing attacks on healthcare workers by youths, burning and stoning of ambulances, and assaults on healthcare facilities. The outbreak has severely impacted frontline workers, with 160 healthcare professionals contracting Ebola and 43 dying.
Logistical challenges further impede response efforts. Travel within the region is slow; a recent trip of 60 kilometres took three hours. Essential social services are lacking in affected provinces, which have endured decades of violence. Weak banking infrastructure complicates payments to workers and limits resources needed for the response.
Funding is critically low, with current financial support only secured for a few more weeks. Harneis emphasized that every delay in funding and intervention increases the epidemic's deadliness and cost. UN responders are urgently calling for immediate international assistance to contain the outbreak and support affected communities.