Ebola Deaths in DRC Surpass 2,000 as UN Warns Response Is Being Outpaced

DRC officials confirmed on 11 August 2026 that Ebola deaths had surpassed 2,000 — with half of that toll recorded in just the last 20 days — alongside 4,381 confirmed cases across five provinces, making it both the largest Ebola outbreak in DRC's history and the fastest-growing on record. UN Senior Ebola Coordinator Julian Harneis said the world 'must do more, and do it today, to save lives and stop Ebola,' while UN deputy spokesperson Farhan Haq said the response is 'hindered by insecurity' and renewed calls on armed groups to protect civilians and humanitarian access. At least a dozen Ebola treatment facilities have been attacked amid fear and misinformation. Vaccine trials are now authorized in Canada and the UK in addition to DRC, but WHO cautioned results remain months away; treatment trials of remdesivir and the monoclonal antibody MBP134 continue in Ituri Province under the PARTNERS trial.