Ebola outbreak ‘growing faster, wider’ as DRC death toll passes 2,500: UN
The United Nations reports that an Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo is spreading exponentially, with the death toll exceeding 2,500. Efforts to contain the virus are hindered by conflict, infrastructure issues, and attacks on health workers.
Why it matters
The rapid spread of a deadly virus in a conflict zone poses a significant threat to regional stability and global public health security.
Epidemic in DR Congo remains out of control amid conflict, funding shortages and attacks on health workers and facilities.
x whatsapp-stroke copylink google Add Al Jazeera on Google info Red Cross volunteers in the Democratic Republic of the Congo carry the body of an Ebola victim from the morgue before loading it into a vehicle for transfer to a cemetery. The measures are part of safe and dignified burial operations aimed at preventing the spread of the virus. [File: AFP] By Al Jazeera Staff , AFP and Reuters Published On 21 Aug 2026 21 Aug 2026 The Ebola virus continues spreading “exponentially” in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), the United Nations has warned.
Sounding the alarm that the outbreak is “spreading faster and wider” than ever before, the UN’s Senior Ebola Coordinator Julien Harneis reported that more than 2,500 people have now died.
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