The outbreak declared on 15 May has rapidly become the third largest ever recorded in the DRC, with some 782 confirmed cases and 181 confirmed deaths, according to latest figures from the Ministry of Health, and children are among the most vulnerable, said Save the Children.
BUNIA, DRC, 15 June 2026 – At least 52 children, including 16 toddlers and infants., have contracted Ebola in the month since the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) declared its latest outbreak, with 19 of these children confirmed to have died.
The outbreak declared on 15 May has rapidly become the third largest ever recorded in the DRC, with some 782 confirmed cases and 181 confirmed deaths, according to latest figures from the Ministry of Health, and children are among the most vulnerable, said Save the Children.
While young children represent a smaller portion of cases than other age groups, figures from the Africa Centre for Disease Control (CDC) show that young children are suffering a far higher case fatality rate. Children aged 14 or under are more than twice as likely to die after contracting the illness than patients aged 15 to 44, according to a Save the Children analysis of the figures [1].
Young children often deteriorate rapidly when infected and require early identification, referral, and intensive supportive care to improve their chances of survival. These risks are further compounded by the conditions many children already face in humanitarian settings, including malnutrition, malaria, anaemia, poverty, displacement, interrupted vaccination and healthcare services, and limited access to essential treatment and nutrition support.
Children are not only at risk of infection, but a multitude of knock-on effects, including family separation, psychological distress, being cut off from routine healthcare and protection services, dropping out of school, child labour and early marriage, said Save the Children.
Basic, lifesaving supplies -like protective equipment, disinfectant, safe isolation spaces and essential medicines - are concerningly scarce in some areas. At the same time fear and misinformation risk accelerating transmission by discouraging families from seeking care, cooperating with contact tracing, or reporting symptoms early.
Greg Ramm, Save the Children’s Country Director in the DRC, said:
“This outbreak is more than a health emergency, it is a wider social crisis with significant consequences for children, caregivers and communities. Not only have many families lost their loved ones, but many others are caring for sick relatives while trying to protect themselves and their children.
“Health workers are responding stoically under some incredibly challenging conditions – we are seeing incredible bravery, resilience and determination. Yet fear, rumours, and misinformation are delaying people from seeking care, slowing down contact tracing, and putting safe burials at risk. Getting accurate, child-friendly information into communities isn’t optional—it’s critical – and our teams are working around the clock to reach as many people as possible.
“There are real risks here that the consequences for children and families will go far beyond the disease itself. We’ve seen it before: children leave school and never return, and those who lose parents or caregivers become far more vulnerable to early marriage, child labor, and exploitation.
“But let me be clear - this outbreak, the 17th in DRC since 1976, is happening on top of an already devastating crisis in eastern DRC. Families were already dealing with conflict, displacement, and extremely fragile health systems. For many, this outbreak is hitting when they have almost nothing left to fall back on.
“This outbreak can still be contained—but only if the response is immediate, large-scale, and coordinated. Children at the heart of the Ebola crisis and need to be at the heart of the response. This means beyond disease prevention and control, the response must include ensuring continuity of essential health, nutrition, and water and nutrition services to prevent an escalation in child mortality driven by the indirect impacts of the crisis.”
In this latest outbreak, along with its medical and nutrition support, Save the Children is stepping up active case finding and contact tracing in communities and clinics, which includes training community health workers and teachers to identify and refer community alert cases, alongside distributing emergency hygiene kits and thermometers.
The current Ebola outbreak is also taking place within a wider humanitarian crisis in the DRC, with some 15 million people – almost one in every seven people – in need of humanitarian assistance.
In the DRC since 1994, Save the Children partners with 13 local organisations, as well as international agencies and government authorities, to deliver life-saving support in health, nutrition, education, child protection, food security, and water, sanitation, and hygiene for children and their families
NOTES:
[1] From the Africa Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Bundibugyo Virus Disease Outbreak Issue No. 22, 9 June, which refers to a sample size of 447 confirmed cases (973.5% of the total 608 confirmed cases recorded on the day). In the report, children aged 0-4 were reported in 16 cases and 7 deaths (average case fatality rate (CFR) 43.8%); Children aged 5 – 14 were reported in 36 cases and 12 deaths (CFR 33.3%); children and adults aged 15 – 44 reported in 278 cases and 51 deaths (CFR 18.3%) and adults 45+ reported in 117 cases and 21 deaths (CFR 17.9%).
Save the Children's analysis found that the average case fatality rate (CFR) among children aged 0–14 years was 38.6%, compared with 18.1% among individuals aged 15 years and older. Based on the age-disaggregated data currently available, children under 15 were more than twice as likely to die following Ebola infection than older adolescents and adults.
However, these findings should be interpreted with caution. Complete age-disaggregated data are not yet available for all reported cases and deaths, and more than 200 suspected deaths remain under investigation. As a result, the final age-specific mortality rates may change as additional epidemiological and laboratory data become available.
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