Politics
Congo Ebola cases surpass 4 000 as more than 300 children die: UN
Ebola cases in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo have surpassed 4 000, with 1 850 deaths recorded, the United Nations said.
Children and women “continue to bear a disproportionate share” of the outbreak in Ituri province, UN deputy spokesperson Farhan Haq told reporters on Friday.
More than 330 children have died since the outbreak began, according to the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF).
More than 330 children have died from Ebola in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
The latest outbreak is driving a sharp decline in families accessing healthcare due to service disruptions and fear of infection.
Here’s how @UNICEF is responding: https://t.co/F7aaSetEAP pic.twitter.com/Znbqp3DYla
— United Nations (@UN) August 6, 2026
Children account for nearly a quarter of confirmed cases but almost a third of deaths.
Maternal deaths have nearly doubled, with about six women dying each week from childbirth-related complications, the U.N. Population Fund said.
Use of health services in the hardest-hit areas has fallen by more than 40% as fear of infection keeps people away.
UNICEF and partners have deployed 13 000 community workers, reaching more than 2.4 million people.
The World Health Organization said its vaccine advisory group recommended a clinical trial in Congo of Ervebo, the only licensed vaccine against Ebola.
