The Ebola outbreak DRC continues to evolve more than three months after it was officially declared. According to the latest figures from the World Health Organization (WHO), based on data collected up to 26 August 2026, the Democratic Republic of Congo had recorded 5,815 confirmed cases and 2,788 deaths caused by the Bundibugyo species of the Ebola virus. The outbreak has become the largest ever documented in the country, surpassing the 2018 - 2020 epidemic.
Initially concentrated in the Mongbwalu health zone in Ituri Province, transmission has progressively expanded. By 26 August, 57 health zones across Ituri, North Kivu, South Kivu, Haut-Uélé, Tshopo and Bas-Uélé had reported confirmed cases. The spread of the virus across a wider geographical area is making surveillance, contact tracing and access to treatment increasingly complex.
The epidemic is unfolding in regions already affected by armed conflict, repeated displacement and limited access to healthcare. Population movements make it more difficult to identify people who may have been exposed to the virus, while insecurity continues to restrict access to some communities. At the same time, health facilities responding to Ebola must continue providing routine medical care, from maternal health services to the treatment of malaria and other infectious diseases.
The REACT project
To respond to this evolving situation, AVSI has launched REACT – Reinforcing Ebola Preparedness, Surveillance and Response, funded by the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation through the Italian Agency for Development Cooperation and implemented together with the Community of Sant'Egidio ACAP-APS and the DREAM Foundation Sant'Egidio RDC. The initiative will run for 4 months in North Kivu and South Kivu.
The project aims to strengthen the capacity of health services and local communities to detect suspected Ebola cases early, improve surveillance and respond rapidly to new outbreaks. Activities include support to health facilities, infection prevention and control measures, community-based surveillance, risk communication, mobile health services and training for frontline health workers.
Health workers and communities working side by side
Health workers are often the first to identify suspected Ebola cases. Through REACT, thousands of frontline professionals will receive training on infection prevention, safe referral procedures, surveillance and early case detection. Community health workers will strengthen links with health centres and laboratory networks to report suspected cases more quickly, while mobile clinics will provide healthcare in areas where services remain difficult to reach.
The project also focuses on communication within communities. Information materials in French and Swahili will explain Ebola symptoms and transmission using illustrations and locally adapted messages. Awareness activities will involve schools, health centres, religious leaders, women's groups, caregivers and community volunteers. As schools reopen, students, teachers and parents will participate in hygiene sessions, while hygiene kits and hand sanitiser will be distributed to help reduce the risk of transmission.
Particular attention will be given to internally displaced people, children living in street situations, older people and families already participating in AVSI and Sant'Egidio programmes. The project also includes mental health and psychosocial support, alongside training on protection from sexual exploitation, abuse and harassment and gender-based violence for community workers involved in the emergency response.
Putting participants at the centre of the response
Over the course of the project, REACT is expected to directly reach 32,759 people across North and South Kivu.Participants include healthcare workers, teachers, students, parents, community volunteers, internally displaced people and other vulnerable populations. Particular attention will be given to women, children, older people and persons with disabilities to ensure that no one is left behind during the response.
Beyond the immediate emergency, REACT aims to leave a stronger and more resilient health system. By reinforcing local institutions, empowering communities and strengthening coordination between health authorities, laboratories and frontline workers, the project will improve preparedness not only for the current Ebola threat but also for future public health emergencies.
With more than two decades of experience in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, AVSI continues to work alongside local institutions and communities to deliver sustainable solutions that protect lives, strengthen essential services and build resilience in some of the country's most fragile contexts. Through REACT, AVSI and its partners reaffirm their commitment to ensuring that communities are better prepared to face health emergencies, before they become humanitarian crises.