Ebola outbreak in eastern DRC tops 1,100 cases, threatens millions of children

The Democratic Republic of Congo has recorded 1,118 confirmed Ebola infections and 291 deaths as of 24 June 2026, driven by the rare Bundibugyo strain for which no approved vaccine or treatment exists. The World Health Organization has declared a public health emergency, urging intensified international coordination. The epidemic is concentrated in Ituri province but has spread to neighboring Uganda and has produced a single imported case in France involving a health worker returning from the DRC.

Children are disproportionately affected: they account for about 15 % of infections but over 25 % of deaths, leaving more than 130 orphaned in Ituri. UNICEF estimates that up to three million children in the eastern region face heightened risk from the outbreak and the collapse of basic services. Response efforts are hampered by armed conflict, displacement, limited access to remote areas, and infections among health‑care staff.