The Guardian
·Jul 2026
Visualised: how conflict, aid cuts and health-worker attacks are helping Ebola spread in DRC
Ebola cases in the Democratic Republic of the Congo have surged, spreading from Ituri to multiple provinces and into Uganda, driven by conflict, displacement and the Bundibugyo variant’s lack of treatment options. Armed groups, weak state control and more than 3 million displaced people have hindered the public health response. Humanitarian funding cuts, worsened by the US freeze on foreign aid in 2025, forced organisations to reduce operations, weakening surveillance and health systems. Attacks on healthcare workers, fuelled by mistrust and misinformation, have disrupted critical response activities, further impeding containment and elevating the risk of the outbreak becoming the deadliest on record.