WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) saw an outbreak of Ebola last month, with a significant case count and rising death toll reported from the region. The United Nations declared a Public Health Emergency of International Concern in the DRC and Uganda, and has amplified efforts to protect vulnerable groups, including children, from the severest consequences of the disease as observed in the past.
The Ebola virus (EBV) comes under the category of orthoebolaviruses, which also include the Sudan virus (SUDV) and the rare Tai Forest virus (TAFV). Scientists believe the disease may have jumped from the African fruit bat, which transmits viral bodies through bites to several wild animals. Tribal communities come into contact with these animal carcasses, also known as 'bushmeat', through frequent interactions, thus contributing to the virus' particular virulence in humans. The earliest identified strain was the Zaire mutation, with the present epidemic caused by the comparatively less transmissible Bundibugyo strain.
Ebola disease outbreaks have been recorded extensively from the latter half of the 20th century, primarily in parts of the African continent. The first epidemic was recorded in 1976, with major outbreaks since occurring in 1995, 2002, and most recently, in 2013 to 2016.
All of these were primarily in the central to north-western African region, with 9 epidemics reported in the DRC since 2013. This can often have devastating effects on children, who may become infected, or face the loss of a primary caregiver in the course of the epidemic.
Save The Children, a global non-profit organization, reported that 25% of deaths in the 2013-16 West African epidemic were children aged eighteen years or younger, with 14% constituting children below the age of five. Moreover, over 30,000 children lost either one or both parents to the virus.
The epidemic from this year may be exacerbated by a volatile political situation in the region. Violence in North and South Kivu displaced over 500,000 people, including 100,000 children from their homes in 2025. Approximately 375,000 children were also forced out of the education system, and over 14 million face critical hunger on a daily basis due to lack of access to food sources. Ebola may drive these figures even higher, leading to long-term impacts on both the physical and mental health of affected children.
Early diagnosis of the virus and isolation is often key to survival, but this is difficult in patients below the age of fifteen where the virus shows shorter incubation periods of 6-9 days, compared to at least two weeks in adults. Ebola is often misdiagnosed in infants as malaria or other viral infections common in childhood.
Prenatal transmission of the virus from an infected mother to the fetus occurs frequently, with an 88%-98% neonatal mortality rate reported from past outbreaks. However, with dedicated care and proper monitoring, mortality and associated maternal morbidity can be greatly decreased.
Prevalence of fever is high among children with Ebola, but up to a quarter can present symptoms without a high temperature. Children are also more likely to complain about respiratory or gastrointestinal issues, instead of the chest or joint pain more commonly observed in adults. During isolation, however, they experience electrolyte imbalance, hypoglycemia, renal and hepatic injury, and rhabdomyolysis at the same level as adults. Patients below eighteen also register a higher viral load, and longer periods for viremia clearance.
Child survivors are additionally more likely to face chronic joint pain, hearing loss, eye pain, and memory impairment after recovery, though the exact causes of these post-Ebola disease syndromes have not been validated.
After a previous epidemic in 2018, pediatric-specific protocols were established to improve the treatment and rehabilitation of children effected by Ebola. This includes a number of initiatives in specially-equipped Ebola treatment units (ETU), which restricts the presence of individuals who may be exposed to the virus. Caregivers in the ETU are certified survivors of the disease who have developed immunity against the virus, and consistent efforts are made to quarantine patients and isolate effected communities.
There are two Ebola virus vaccines pre-qualified by the World Health Organization (WHO), and these are recommended to children at risk who are over the age of 12 months. The WHO and numerous other international medical organizations have contributed to increase healthcare personnel and resources in epidemic-prone areas.
As of June 9, 2026, there have been 654 confirmed cases and 129 deaths due to the 2026 Ebola outbreak in the DRC and Uganda. UNICEF responded by dispatching up to 50 tonnes of infection prevention and control supplies to the DRC. By coordinating with the federal and local governments, a multidisciplinary rapid-response team was also assembled to address the Level 3 corporate emergency. This reinforces the existing population of over 2000 community health workers stationed in the country to deal with such outbreaks.
The implementation of these steps will facilitate the management and mitigation of the Ebola outbreak, the results of which shall become apparent in the weeks ahead.
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