One hundred days on, children are paying the price of DRC's worst-ever Ebola outbreak
Wednesday, 26 August 2026
Key Facts:World Vision spokespeople available for interview, including on
- One hundred days of the world's largest-ever Ebola outbreak in the DRC, where the response stands, and why the Bundibugyo strain has made it harder to fight
- The children behind the case numbers: separation, stigma, and the collapse of routine childhood vaccination in outbreak hotspots
- Why local health workers and community volunteers are the frontline of this response, and what it costs them
- Australia’s contribution to the global response, and what more could be done as the outbreak grows
For queries and media requests, please contact:
Domi Gonzales at [email protected] or 0413 788 380.
Claire McIlroy at [email protected] or 0422 925 100.
One hundred days after the World Health Organization declared the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Uganda a global health emergency, the DRC has recorded 5,514 confirmed cases and 2,642 deaths. There is still no approved vaccine or treatment for the Bundibugyo strain driving it.
It is now the largest Ebola outbreak in the DRC’s history, spanning 54 health zones across six provinces. World Vision says the children left behind are the least visible part of the crisis.
Children who lose a parent to Ebola are often turned away by frightened neighbours. Routine childhood vaccinations have fallen sharply in outbreak hotspots as clinics close and families stay away.
Carrying the response are Congolese health workers and volunteers, most of them serving their own communities. Around 160 have been infected and 45 killed by the virus.
They are also facing violence. In the 100 days since the outbreak was declared, dozens of violent incidents have been recorded in which volunteers and health workers were injured. Treatment centres have been stormed and burned, and burial teams attacked, driven largely by fear, grief and mistrust in communities that have lived through decades of conflict.
World Vision DRC East Zone Director David Munkley said the outbreak’s cost was being measured in the wrong places: “When a mother or father dies of Ebola, a child doesn’t just lose a parent. They lose their home, their schooling, and often the neighbours who would normally step in. That is the part of this outbreak the world isn't seeing,” Mr Munkley said.
“Congolese health workers and community volunteers have carried this response for one hundred days, in a part of the country already living with conflict and displacement. They are the reason this outbreak has not spread further, and they deserve to be backed.”
World Vision Australia CEO Grant Bayldon said Australians had been generous and the Australian Government had moved early with $5 million in June: “That was a strong early response, made when there were a few hundred cases. The outbreak has grown many times over since, and we would welcome the chance to work with Government on what more Australia can do,” Mr Bayldon said.
“Where families can move safely and health teams can reach people, this outbreak can be brought under control. Access is what makes that possible.”
World Vision DRC is working alongside health authorities, local churches and communities on awareness, infection prevention and support for affected families.
This is the 17th Ebola outbreak in the DRC since 1976. It is only the third Bundibugyo outbreak recorded anywhere, after Uganda in 2007–08 and the DRC in 2012, and by far the largest.
ENDS
Notes to Editors:
- The World Health Organization declared the outbreak a public health emergency of international concern on 17 May 2026, following confirmation of Bundibugyo virus disease in both the DRC and Uganda.
- There have been two previous Bundibugyo outbreaks: Uganda in 2007–08, and the DRC in 2012. There is no approved vaccine or specific treatment for the Bundibugyo strain. Vaccine trials are under way, with results expected to take months.
- On 4 June 2026, the Australian Government committed $5 million to the global Ebola response, directed through the International Federation of the Red Cross and the World Health Organization, supporting medical care and supplies, water and sanitation services, and outbreak surveillance. Australia also contributes $11 million each year to the UN Central Emergency Response Fund, which has released US$60 million for the response, and supports vaccine development through the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations.
- World Vision Australia supports the work of World Vision offices around the world, including in the DRC. Around 98 per cent of World Vision’s staff globally are engaged in their own countries.
About us:
World Vision is a Christian humanitarian and development organisation dedicated to working with children, families and their communities to reach their full potential by tackling the root causes of poverty and injustice. World Vision and their partners are working in communities to improve families’ economic prospects, strengthen violence prevention and child protection services, and improve education systems. World Vision serves all people, regardless of religion, race, ethnicity or gender.
Contact details:
Domi Gonzales | [email protected] | 0413 788 380.
Claire McIlroy | [email protected] | 0422 925 100.