Ebola Outbreak in DR Congo: Mercy Corps Launches Emergency Response

October 14, 2025

The Democratic Republic of Congo’s Ministry of Health declared an Ebola outbreak in Kasaï Province on 4 September 2025, following confirmation of Zaire ebolavirus in Bulape Health Zone. According to health officials, the outbreak has already claimed 42 lives out of 31 confirmed and 11 probable cases, including four health workers. With a fatality rate approaching two-thirds (66.6%), Bulape and Dikole remain the hardest-hit areas. 

In response, Mercy Corps has launched an initial emergency intervention to support containment efforts, including the delivery of personal protective equipment (PPE) to local health authorities. This effort is part of a broader, coordinated response led by the DRC Ministry of Health and supported by national and international partners.  

Mercy Corps DRC Country Director, Rose Tchwenko, says: 

“Battling this outbreak in such a fragile humanitarian context is an enormous challenge and demands urgent collective action. This crisis is unfolding against a backdrop of worsening humanitarian need — from conflict and displacement in the East to widespread food insecurity and public health emergencies such as Mpox — all compounded by shrinking foreign aid.  

“Health workers and first responders are risking their lives, but they cannot face this outbreak alone. Each life lost is a painful reminder of the risks they bear and the urgency of our response. 

“Stopping Ebola requires trust, not just treatment. Mercy Corps is also supporting local health authorities to ramp up risk communications and community engagement activities to help prevent further spread of the virus in and around Bulape, where early signs of community transmission have emerged. Communities are the first line of defence. Their knowledge, engagement, and leadership are key to ending this outbreak. 

“Mercy Corps is urgently calling on partners and donors to mobilize funding and resources to support this lifesaving response and protect both health workers and communities before the outbreak spreads further." 

The Ebola crisis in Kasaï comes amid one of the world’s most severe humanitarian emergencies in eastern DRC, where nearly 7 million people — including 3.5 million children — are displaced, and more than 26 million people nationwide need assistance. This marks the country’s 16th Ebola outbreak since the virus was first identified in 1976. 

Mercy Corps has been working in DRC since 2007, delivering humanitarian assistance while helping communities build resilience to repeated crises. During past Ebola outbreaks, we strengthened risk communication, disease surveillance, community trust, and improved WASH services and infrastructure — all critical tools in preventing new infections. In 2024 alone, our work reached 3.8 million people across the country. 

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