Ebola outbreak in DRC: What Mercy Corps is doing and how you can help
The new Ebola outbreak declared by the World Health Organization is raising growing concerns about regional spread. Cases linked to the Bundibugyo virus have appeared across the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and Uganda.
There are no approved vaccines or treatments for the Bundibugyo virus—a rare Ebola strain. Mercy Corps teams are preparing to aid vulnerable communities and urgent action is needed to prevent the outbreak from escalating.
“The speed at which this Ebola outbreak is spreading is deeply worrying,” said Rose Tchwenko, Mercy Corps Country Director for DRC. “For families struggling to access safety, food, clean water, and basic care, this outbreak is a dangerous threat multiplier, adding pressure to people and services already stretched to the limit and declining humanitarian aid.”
How is the Ebola outbreak affecting communities in DRC?
This latest Ebola outbreak is deeply concerning because it is unfolding in one of the hardest places to contain a virus: a conflict-affected region where people are constantly moving for safety, work, trade, and survival.
Ituri—where significant clusters of cases have been reported—is a commercial and migration hub bordering Uganda and South Sudan, with heavy movement of people for trade and work. The rise in cases is occurring as communities in eastern DRC are already facing conflict, displacement, hunger, and weak health services.
Ebola is a virus that spreads from one person to another through direct contact with bodily fluids. The virus attacks the immune system and leads to uncontrolled bleeding and organ damage. Factors such as quality medical care and quick intervention greatly affect a person's chance of survival.
How is Mercy Corps responding?
Mercy Corps is ready to support government efforts, drawing on our ongoing programming and previous experience from the 2018 to 2020 Ebola response in eastern DRC. Our emergency teams are ready to provide clean water, handwashing stations, temperature screening, personal protective equipment, community awareness and engagement to counter misinformation and reduce the risk of conflict.
Our teams have helped communities navigate outbreaks before. During the 2018-2020 Kivu Ebola Epidemic, Mercy Corps worked quickly, adapting existing programs providing access to clean water and sanitation in urban areas and rural communities in North Kivu to support prevention efforts, while activating information and awareness campaigns. Through scaling up our clean water and sanitation programs, our teams reached 141,500 people across 18 communities. By 2021, health monitoring and preparedness programs were deployed through close community engagement, supporting nearly 659,000 people.
Our focus is to help communities protect themselves while supporting the wider response to contain the outbreak. Since 2007, Mercy Corps has supported communities in DRC through improved access to clean water and sanitation, increased livelihood opportunities, promoting good governance, and emergency support in the wake of natural disasters.
How you can help
Rush aid to families impacted by the Ebola outbreak, quickly stop the spread—and support families as they recover and help communities around the world create pathways out of crisis.
