UN chief condemns 'indifference' as Ebola cases surges in DR Congo

The number of confirmed Ebola cases in the Democratic Republic of the Congo has reached 5,794, including 2,786 deaths, as of 26 August 2026, according to the World Health Organization (WHO).

The outbreak, now the largest Ebola outbreak ever recorded in the country, has spread to 60 health zones across six provinces: Bas-Uélé, Haut-Uélé, Ituri, North Kivu, South Kivu and Tshopo.

Efforts to contain the spread continue, but UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has called for urgent action and funding to bolster the fight.

"We know how to contain Ebola, how to interrupt transmission and how to save lives," Guterres said, "but we must also overcome another virus: the virus of indifference."

DR Congo began vaccinating frontline health workers against Ebola on Thursday after WHO allocated 70,000 doses of Ervebo for use in the country.

However, the current outbreak is caused by the Bundibugyo virus, for which there is no approved vaccine or specific treatment. Ervebo is licensed for Ebola caused by the Zaire species and is being used in the current outbreak to assess whether it can provide protection against Bundibugyo.