NAIROBI, Kenya, Aug. 6 – Children continue to account for a disproportionate number of deaths in the Democratic Republic of Congo’s worst Ebola outbreak on record, UNICEF has warned.
As of August 2, 2026, health authorities had recorded 743 confirmed Ebola cases among children aged 17 years and below, including 330 deaths.
While children account for nearly one in four confirmed cases, they represent almost one in three Ebola deaths, according to the agency.
UNICEF said children under five face the greatest risk, with a case fatality rate exceeding 60 percent, compared with less than 30 percent among adults aged 18 years and above.
The agency warned that the continued disruption of health services is worsening the impact of the outbreak by limiting treatment for common childhood illnesses such as malaria and diarrhoea.
UNICEF has appealed for additional international funding to expand its Ebola response in the Democratic Republic of Congo, warning that a significant financing gap threatens life-saving interventions.
The agency has revised its six-month appeal to $113.45 million to expand operations from 21 to 51 high-risk health zones.
However, only $23.5 million has been mobilized, leaving a funding shortfall of $89.9 million.
UNICEF said it has already trained and deployed approximately 13,000 frontline community workers and influencers, who have reached more than 2.4 million people with Ebola prevention messages and conducted over 505,000 household visits to combat misinformation and identify suspected cases.
The agency has also equipped eight Ebola treatment centres and 45 health facilities with infection prevention supplies, while providing mental health and psychosocial support to more than 21,000 people, including 5,100 children.
UNICEF warned that without urgent donor support, essential healthcare services and Ebola response efforts could face further disruption, placing thousands more lives at risk.
