Ebola outbreak in DR Congo spreads exponentially as funding runs out
UN responders warned the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo has turned “exponential” as critical funding dries up, with half of all deaths occurring in the last 20 days.
Source: United Nations News · August 21, 2026 at 9:49 PM · AI-assisted report
Single-sourceKUALA LUMPUR, 22 AUGUST 2026 —
UN responders warned the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo has turned “exponential” as critical funding dries up, with half of all deaths occurring in the last 20 days.
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“We're only covered for the next weeks, and very soon funding will run out,” said Julien Harneis, UN Senior Ebola Coordinator. “Every delay in funding and implementation makes this epidemic more deadly, more difficult to stop and more expensive.”
Since the outbreak was declared on 15 May, 5,290 people have been infected and 2,516 have died, according to health ministry data published on Friday. That gives a fatality rate of 47.6%. The same data show 1,152 people have recovered and nearly 840 remain in isolation or hospital, while contact follow-up stands at 82.9%.
Harneis told journalists in Bunia, Ituri province, that the disease is spreading faster than the response. “The epidemic is spreading to an area that is bigger than France,” he said, adding that half of all deaths occurred in the last 20 days.
Operating conditions remain brutal. In the three months since the outbreak began, 160 healthcare workers have contracted Ebola and 43 have died. Frontline teams also face attacks from youths, ambulances have been burned and stoned, and healthcare facilities have been targeted.
Harneis said the banking system in six eastern provinces barely functions, leaving responders unable to pay workers on time. US funding of US$80 million has helped expand bed capacity and safe burial practices, but cuts to aid work over the past two years have reduced humanitarian capacity by more than 30%.
Multiple UN agencies continue to work alongside the DRC authorities despite the challenges. They include the World Health Organization, the World Food Programme, UNICEF, the UN migration agency and Médecins Sans Frontières.
For Malaysian businesses with operations or supply chains in central Africa, the deteriorating security and healthcare environment increases operational risks and may disrupt logistics and staff deployment.