DRC Ebola Outbreak: Response Scales Up as Cases Pass 7,800
By News

The Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) has become the largest the country has ever recorded. According to figures reported by Al Jazeera on 25 September 2026, there were 7,890 confirmed cases and 3,799 deaths as of 23 September, across 63 health zones in seven provinces. The outbreak is caused by the Bundibugyo species of the virus, for which no vaccine has yet been approved. For health and humanitarian organisations, the response is now as much about people, clinicians, epidemiologists, burial teams and community workers, as it is about supplies.

How the outbreak has spread

Ituri province remains the centre of the epidemic. Al Jazeera reported 6,032 confirmed cases in Ituri since May, while North Kivu had recorded 1,480 cases with a fatality rate of around 60 per cent, higher than the national average. The World Health Organization (WHO) said the virus had reached two further health zones: Bulu in Sud-Ubangi, which borders the Central African Republic, and Dungu in Haut-Uélé, which borders South Sudan.

The Independent (Uganda), drawing on data up to 7 September, described the outbreak as the second-largest Ebola epidemic ever recorded globally, after the 2014 to 16 West Africa epidemic. It reported that children account for roughly a quarter of cases but nearly a third of deaths, and that 155 health workers had been infected, 45 of whom had died.

Insecurity and displacement in eastern DRC complicate the response. WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus pointed to displacement and problems of access to some areas. Africa CDC Director-General Dr Jean Kaseya, quoted by Al Jazeera, warned that “when the outbreak is at community level, we cannot talk about control”, noting that around 30,000 contacts had been traced against an expected figure of about 420,000 based on confirmed cases.

A response that is scaling up

An update published by the WHO Regional Office for Africa on 30 September sets out how the government-led response, supported by WHO, Africa CDC, UN agencies and implementing partners, has expanded. Between 27 July and 21 September, treatment capacity rose from 929 to 1,510 beds across 54 health facilities, with more beds being installed. Safe and dignified burial teams in Ituri increased from 53 to 114. The number of epidemiologists and data managers rose from 58 to 114, and the number of operational laboratories from 15 to 26, with daily testing capacity growing from about 200 to more than 450 samples.

WHO also reported that community engagement teams had reached more than five million people between August and mid-September. However, the same update noted a shortfall of more than 1,400 health professionals, and a funding need of USD 1.3 billion over six months under the revised 180-day multisectoral response plan launched on 4 September.

“The scale-up must now continue and be consolidated,” said Dr Steve Ahuka, Incident Manager of the Presidential Task Force, in comments published by WHO.

The vaccine gap

Because the licensed Ervebo vaccine targets the Zaire species of Ebola rather than Bundibugyo, the response is relying heavily on traditional public health measures. The Independent reported that WHO and Africa CDC announced 70,000 doses of Ervebo for the DRC, 50,000 for health workers and 20,000 for a trial examining possible cross-protection. Several candidate vaccines specific to Bundibugyo are in development with support from the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI), including candidates from Moderna, the University of Oxford and Hilleman Laboratories, though none is yet approved for use.

What this means for NGO job seekers

A response of this size creates sustained demand for specialist and support staff, often on short-term or rapid-deployment contracts. Based on the needs described by WHO and partners, roles likely to be in demand include:

  • Clinical staff, doctors, nurses and anaesthetists with infection prevention and control (IPC) experience, given the reported shortfall of more than 1,400 health professionals.
  • Epidemiology and data, surveillance officers, contact-tracing supervisors and data managers.
  • Laboratory scientists able to work in decentralised testing sites.
  • Risk communication and community engagement (RCCE) officers, especially those fluent in French, Swahili or Lingala and familiar with local communities.
  • Logistics, supply chain and WASH specialists to support treatment centres, decontamination and burial teams.
  • Safeguarding, protection and psychosocial support staff, including those working with children and bereaved families.

Practical advice: highlight any outbreak, cholera, mpox or previous Ebola experience clearly at the top of your CV, along with IPC or PPE training certificates. Fluency in French is a significant advantage for DRC-based roles. Expect demanding conditions and security briefings, and check whether employers provide occupational health cover and rest-and-recuperation arrangements.

You can search current openings on our browse jobs page, look specifically at NGO jobs in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, or compare opportunities in neighbouring countries through NGO jobs by country. For help tailoring applications for emergency roles, see our career resources.

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