Most Ebola deaths in DR Congo outbreak occurring outside health facilities
Jul 18, 2026
Geneva [Switzerland], July 18: The ongoing Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) has surged by around 70% over the past two weeks, with more than 40 new cases reported each day, the UN migration agency (IOM) warned on Friday.
IOM said 60% of reported deaths are occurring in communities rather than health facilities, highlighting major gaps in early detection, surveillance and timely access to care.
Frantz Celestin, IOM's Regional Director, warned that the true scale of the outbreak is likely unclear in some areas.
The outbreak has spread into two new provinces, Haut-Uele and Tshopo, increasing concerns about transmission among highly mobile populations.
IOM said nearly 150,000 internally displaced people living in agency-supported sites in eastern DRC are particularly vulnerable.
The agency called for stronger surveillance at border crossings and along the Congo River to help prevent further spread within the DRC and across neighbouring countries.
As of 14 July, more than 2,000 confirmed Ebola cases and 700 deaths had been reported across the affected countries of the DRC and Uganda.
Source: Emirates News Agency
