UN relief chief calls for urgent support to contain Ebola in DRC and region

Statement on the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo by Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator Tom Fletcher

9 July 2026

We need to move faster to break the back of Ebola in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).

Ituri province remains the centre of the outbreak, but the virus is spreading across other provinces where conflict and the constant movement of people increase the risk of further transmission.

Since the outbreak was declared on 15 May, more than 1,700 people have been infected and 600 have died in DRC. Uganda has confirmed 20 cases. Our colleagues at the World Health Organization and Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention are expertly supporting the epidemiological response under the leadership of the Government.