Ebola Death Toll in DRC Nears 200
The number of confirmed Ebola deaths in the Democratic Republic of the Congo has reached 192 out of 808 cases, amid concerns over reduced international humanitarian aid.
According to the World Health Organization, as of June 14, a total of 808 laboratory-confirmed Ebola cases have been recorded in three affected provinces – Ituri, North Kivu, and South Kivu – including 192 confirmed deaths (case fatality rate 23.8%). The organization Oxfam has expressed regret that international humanitarian aid to the DRC has been sharply reduced, with funding dropping from $2.58 billion in 2024 to $1.4 billion in 2026. As a result, humanitarian organizations have been forced to significantly limit their activities.
Welthungerhilfe has called for intensified testing and contact tracing to prevent further spread. Regional director Ursula Langkamp stated that significantly more funds, medical staff, and better equipment are needed. Additionally, hygiene supplies and food distribution in isolation centers are essential to support patients.
The outbreak was declared on May 15 in Ituri province, where armed group attacks are frequent. WHO estimates the virus may have been spreading unnoticed for months. Transmission occurs through direct contact with bodily fluids, with an incubation period of up to three weeks.
The current outbreak is caused by the rare Bundibugyo strain, first identified in 2007, for which no vaccine or specific treatment exists. The strain's usual case fatality rate is 30–50%. WHO has declared a "public health emergency of international concern" – the second-highest alert level. This is the 17th Ebola outbreak in the DRC since the virus was discovered in 1976. The previous outbreak in Kasai province was declared normalized on December 1, 2025, with 45 deaths out of 64 cases and 19 recoveries.
