Ebola outbreak in DRC: What Mercy Corps is doing and how you can help
The 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 delivering a large-scale Ebola prevention and response in Bunia and surrounding areas—focused on the places where transmission risk meets daily life: health facilities, schools, markets, transport hubs, and other busy public spaces.
Our response provides clean water and sanitation, helps prevent the spread of disease, and shares trusted information through local radio. We also provide mental health and emotional support to frontline workers and affected families, while helping people stay safe and working towards conflict reduction.
“The question is not whether DRC can fight Ebola. It can, and it has. The country has faced Ebola before, but this time is different. Ebola is landing in a humanitarian response already forced to prioritize the most urgent needs. Health workers are being asked to do more with less,” said Rose Tchwenko, Mercy Corps Country Director for DRC.
“Preparedness is more than a stockpile, a lab test, or a response plan. It is the trust between health workers and families seeking care. When those relationships are strong, the response moves faster.”
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.
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.
