DRC Ebola Outbreak

Media Spokespeople (English & French)

• Dr Amadou Bocoum, CARE DRC Country Director (Kinshasa, DRC)
• Robyn Savage, Roving Humanitarian Director
• Eliza Nedyalkova, CARE DRC Resource Mobilization Manager

Background

• The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) is currently facing a new outbreak of Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) in a context already characterized by a protracted humanitarian crisis, particularly in eastern provinces affected by insecurity, displacement, and limited access to basic services.
• DRC has declared its 17th Ebola outbreak, confirmed on 15 May 2026 in Ituri Province the same region already devastated by protracted conflict, mass displacement, and one of the world's most severe humanitarian crises.
• The outbreak is caused by the Bundibugyo strain, for which no widely available vaccine currently exists. With at least 2-3 weeks of undetected transmission before the official declaration, the spread is almost certainly wider than current numbers reflect.
• 246 suspected cases and approximately 80 deaths reported as of 15 May 2026.
• This is not a localized outbreak. A suspected case has already been reported in Goma, a major regional transit hub, and across the border in Uganda.
• World Health Organisation has classified this as a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC), underscoring the severity of the cross-border risk.
• CARE DRC is mobilizing an emergency response and urgently calls on the international community to act now, before this outbreak escalates further. USD$3 ,318, 000 in flexible, immediately deployable funding is needed.
• CARE is targeting 500,000 to 1,000,000 people in affected and high-risk areas, including Ituri Province, key health zones in North Kivu, and selected urban and cross-border locations. Priority will be given to communities in transmission hotspots, healthcare workers, displaced and mobile populations, and vulnerable groups, including women and girls.

Approved Quotes

Dr. Amadou Bocoum, CARE DRC Country Director

"Thousands of women and their families already struggling to survive hunger, displacement and gender-based violence in eastern DRC now face, again, the terrifying threat of Ebola. We have years of experience of preparing to contain the spread of this killer virus, working alongside local leaders, youth and women's groups, and community action cells. But today we have to do it with a lot less funding, supporting a local health system that is close to collapse and trying to prevent the spread in communities whose access to basic services such as clean water has been decimated by donor aid cuts. As caregivers, women are at heightened risk of exposure to infection. A combination of their immense needs already going unmet and the spread of this highly infectious virus could be devastating."  said Dr. Amadou Bocoum, CARE DRC Country Director.

Janvier Lokelo, a Community Mobilizer at Kujitegemea Action (KUA), a Congolese NGO that CARE works in partnership with

"People are enduring the devastating impacts of hunger driven by conflict and displacement. Families have lost not only their homes, but also their land, livelihoods, and means to survive. Urgent, collective action is needed to restore hope, dignity, and basic living conditions for these communities," said Janvier Lokelo, a Community Mobilizer at Kujitegemea Action (KUA), a Congolese NGO that CARE works in partnership with.

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