The International Rescue Committee (IRC) warns that the rapidly escalating Ebola outbreak in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) could become the deadliest outbreak on record without urgent international action. 

A new IRC Watchlist Flash Alert identifies three warning signs that this outbreak could be particularly difficult to contain: the outbreak is spreading faster than the response; conflict and displacement are accelerating the risk of regional spread; and severe global aid cuts have weakened frontline health systems and outbreak preparedness across eastern DRC.

The DRC ranked seventh on the IRC’s 2026 Emergency Watchlist, making it one of the top ten countries most at risk of worsened humanitarian crisis in 2026. 
 

Available documents & links