Congo-Kinshasa: DR Congo Ebola Outbreak Spreading Exponentially, UN Responders Warn

What the report says

UN responders have warned that the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo is accelerating and that emergency funding for the response is close to running out. According to the UN News report distributed by AllAfrica, the outbreak was still spreading on Friday, with the warning coming from Bunia in Ituri province, in eastern DR Congo, where health workers are helping to coordinate the response.

The report says the outbreak, declared on 15 May, has led to 5,290 infections and 2,516 deaths, making it the deadliest Ebola outbreak in the country’s history. It adds that 1,152 people have recovered, while nearly 840 remain isolated or in hospital. UN Senior Ebola Coordinator Julien Harneis said the situation is worsening quickly and that delays in money and implementation are making containment harder and more costly.

Health workers are facing major operational challenges, including attacks, damaged ambulances and difficult travel conditions in affected areas. The response is taking place across six eastern provinces, including Ituri, North Kivu and South Kivu, where years of conflict have weakened services and banking systems, complicating payments to frontline staff. The report also notes that 160 healthcare workers have been infected and 43 have died.

WHO, UNICEF, the World Food Programme, the UN migration agency IOM and Médecins Sans Frontières are among the organizations involved. The report says the United States has provided $80 million to support the DRC government’s response, but overall humanitarian capacity has fallen in recent years, underscoring the urgency of sustained international backing.