As Ebola cases hit 1,000, almost 3 million children and adolescents face rising risks in eastern DR Congo – UNICEF

NEW YORK/KAMPALA/KINSHASA, 22 June 2026 - As global confirmed Ebola cases reach 1,000, an estimated 2.95 million children and adolescents aged 18 and under - representing 54 per cent of the population in 31 affected health zones - are at risk from Ebola itself and the breakdown of essential services in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), UNICEF warned today.

"Our teams in Ituri have met children who have lost their mothers, and in some cases both parents, to Ebola," said UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell. "Children are trying to make sense of the threat while surrounded by rumors and online misinformation."

Although the situation remains fluid, children and adolescents account for approximately 15 per cent of confirmed Ebola cases and over 25 per cent of confirmed deaths in eastern DRC as of 19 June. Children and adolescents with confirmed Ebola are almost twice as likely to die as adults, highlighting the disproportionate impact of the outbreak on younger populations.

While testing capacity has recently improved, surveillance and contact tracing remain constrained, including by insecurity and restricted access, leaving current estimates with a degree of uncertainty.

Ituri Province, particularly the Mongbwalu, Rwampara, and Bunia health zones, remains the epicentre, with cases also reported in North Kivu and South Kivu. In Ituri, 135 children who have been orphaned by the outbreak are receiving support, including with psychosocial care, referral to essential social services, and alternative care arrangements.

The first nursery has recently opened with UNICEF support - a safe space providing care and protection for infants and young children who are separated from their parents and caregivers while they receive treatment at an Ebola treatment centre. Two additional nurseries are expected to open soon.

Children in Ituri were already vulnerable before the outbreak. More than half of children under five are chronically malnourished, and immunization rates are low with more than one in five never having received a first dose of the diphtheria, tetanus, and pertussis vaccine. These conditions make Ebola especially risky, as early symptoms can mimic other illnesses such as malaria, delaying detection, while malnutrition heightens vulnerability.

Beyond infection and loss of parents and caregivers, children face stigma, and psychosocial distress. Infectious disease outbreaks also increase the risk of violence, including sexual violence, against women and girls. Children may also lose access to the services they depend on - health care, nutrition, immunisation, education, water and sanitation, child protection, and social services. In eastern DRC, these risks are compounded by years of conflict and mass displacement, which have long exposed children to violence, exploitation, and other protection risks.

In Uganda, 20 Ebola cases and two deaths have been confirmed among individuals who travelled from the DRC to seek testing and treatment. Children have also been affected: one child has tested positive, and 19 are under quarantine monitoring.

In DRC and Uganda, UNICEF is supporting the government and partners, including WHO and Africa CDC, to contain the outbreak through infection prevention and control, contact tracing, safe and dignified burials, and community engagement, including with young people and community leaders. At the same time, UNICEF is working to sustain essential services, including health care, nutrition, immunisation, education, water and sanitation, and child protection and social services.

UNICEF is initially seeking US$70.7 million for its six-month response, with US$20 million still unfunded, as part of the multi-partner Ebola Preparedness and Response Continental Plan to contain the spread of disease. UNICEF is also calling for immediate, safe, and sustained humanitarian access to affected communities.

"Children are especially vulnerable because they depend on caregivers and cannot distance themselves from a sick parent or sibling in the same way that an adult can. To better protect children, we need sustained access, and the resources needed to reach every affected community," added Russell.

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Notes to editors:

Data on confirmed Ebola cases and deaths among children and adolescents in DRC derived from DHIS2 updates.

Data on orphaned children compiled by the Division of Social Affairs under the Mental Health and Psychosocial Support sub-pillar.