KINSHASA, 27 May 2026 – At least 25% of confirmed deaths from Ebola in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) are children, highlighting the urgent need to scale up health services and infection prevention to protect them, said Save the Children [1].
Latest government figures released on Wednesday show that children make up 25% of the 17 confirmed Ebola deaths - although the number of real cases is likely to be significantly higher as this number only includes children under 15, and only includes confirmed cases. Of these deaths, 14% are children under the age of 5.
Some 1,077 people are now suspected of contracting Ebola with 238 suspected deaths since the outbreak was declared on 15 May, with children and youth under the age of 19 accounting for 17 out of 121 confirmed cases of Ebola, or 14%.
Dr Babou Rukengeza, Save the Children’s Ebola Response Lead in the DRC, said:
“This outbreak is moving at a terrifying speed. I have responded to several Ebola outbreaks over the years, but this is the fastest spread I have ever seen. Children are paying a devastating price, making up at least one in four confirmed deaths, although we suspected the numbers are far higher.
“When parents die, children suddenly lose the biggest support system they could possibly have and face fear, grief, stigma, and social exclusion.
“In addition, this crisis is unfolding at a critical moment when children are preparing for their end-of-year exams, threatening not only their health but also their future.
“A rapid, well-funded, and coordinated response is essential to stop the spread of Ebola, maintain essential services, and ensure that children remain safe, protected, and able to continue learning throughout the outbreak.
“We need urgent action and immediate flexible funding to scale up the health response and strengthen infection prevention and control, while ensuring children and families can access protection, education and essential services to save lives and reduce the long-term impact on communities.”
The number of suspected cases is already around one third of all confirmed cases reported in the largest Ebola epidemic in the DRC in recent history, in which there were 3,262 confirmed cases and 2,232 deaths, 28% of which were children.
While the outbreak was declared 11 days ago, the number of deaths and infections is feared to be much higher, with the probable first or index case most likely to have been in the first few months of the year, adding to concerns about prolonged undetected transmission in the community.
Children are among the most vulnerable group in this outbreak, said Save the Children. As well as being exposed to the direct risk of infection, they face major indirect consequences such as disruptions of essential health and nutrition services, loss of parents and caregivers, loss of access to schools, stigma, psychosocial distress, and increased protection risks.
Children are particularly vulnerable if they lose one of both of their parents or primary caregivers to the illness, with Save the Children child protection staff already reporting at least two children who have lost their parents to Ebola and requiring urgent care support.
Ebola is a severe and often fatal disease spread through direct contact with bodily fluids, or indirect through contaminated materials, or infected surfaces. Its symptoms include fever, weakness, vomiting, diarrhea, muscle pain, and, in severe cases, bleeding.
The current Ebola outbreak is yet another crisis to hit DRC which has seen a sharp uptick this year in conflict, creating one of the world's most severe humanitarian crises with 5.6 million people including about 2.5 million children internally displaced while 15 million people – almost one in every seven people – need humanitarian assistance.
Save the Children has provided chlorine to the health authorities in Bunia for facility decontamination and therapeutic milk to a centre for malnourished children and breastfeeding mothers suspected of having the Ebola virus.
The aid agency is also racing to equip health facilities with personal protective equipment, triage units and infection prevention and handwashing infrastructure while supporting active case detection and contact tracing in communities and health facilities. This includes training community health workers and teachers on virus detection and referral and providing emergency hygiene kits and thermometers.
Save the Children started working in DRC in 1994 and currently collaborates with 13 local partners, alongside international organisations and government authorities, to provide life-saving support in health, nutrition, education, child protection, food security, and water, sanitation, and hygiene for children and their families.
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Notes:
[1] According to latest data from the DRC’s Ministry of Health, released Wednesday 27 May with data up to Tuesday 26 May, [SitRep No. 12], there are 121 confirmed cases, 17 death confirmed, 1077 suspected cases, 238 suspected deaths. On page 3, there is a graph indicating 25% of confirmed deaths are children under 15, and 17 cases are children and youth under the age of 19.
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