DRC: IRC finds 85% of people surveyed say mistrust of responders would keep them from seeking care, as Ebola cases near 10,000

Kinshasa, DRC, October 21, 2026 —  As Ebola cases rise in North Kivu, a new International Rescue Committee (IRC) survey finds that awareness of the disease is not the problem: while nearly 100% of respondents are aware of the disease, 85% say mistrust of the teams responding to it would keep them from seeking care.

The IRC surveyed 80 people in three health zones to identify urgent needs and gaps in the response. The assessment found deep fear and mistrust of the health system. Respondents cited rumors that the Ebola response is intended to exterminate the population and accusations that some nurses steer patients toward their private pharmacies. There is a perception that Ebola treatment centers only bring death, not recovery, paired with a lack of visible recovered survivors in affected communities.

"People understand Ebola. That is not why they are rejecting the response," said Katie Thomas-Canfield, IRC Ebola response director. "Health authorities and community leaders keep telling us that community resistance is partly driven by a slow start to the response, communication that focuses only on Ebola and overlooks people’s other urgent needs, and too little involvement of young people and community groups. As we expand our response into the Grand Nord Kivu region, our success will depend as much on rebuilding community trust as on how well we protect people from infection and keep them informed." 

The DRC is facing the fastest-spreading Ebola outbreak on record, with 9,552 reported cases and more than 4,600 deaths since the outbreak's declaration on May 15. Although new case numbers have plateaued overall, Ebola continues to spread into new areas, now affecting 66 of 167 health zones, which is evidence that the outbreak is far from under control. Response efforts remain complicated by insecurity, population displacement, and high mobility across porous borders. Young people are considered the group most reluctant to comply with prevention measures and burial-related protocols. More funding is needed for community engagement, including in areas where cases are not yet confirmed, because trust built before the virus arrives helps people seek care early. New cases found in Kenya and now Nigeria within the last few days shows how the virus has spread and crossed borders.

North Kivu province, where Beni and Butembo are located, has reported 2,084 cases and 1,176 deaths to date. Ituri remains the epicenter, with three-quarters of all cases, but North Kivu has seen an increase in cases over the last month. Response agencies say this shows the need to scale up support in Grand Nord Kivu quickly. Cases are likely undercounted, since insecurity and seasonal flooding have disrupted normal monitoring. In North Kivu, WHO reports that 86% of all Ebola deaths occur in communities, as sick patients fear and delay coming for treatment.

The crisis disproportionately harms children. UNICEF reports that 23% of cases in North Kivu are children under 5, who have the highest mortality rate of any group (70% compared to 48.2% overall). The vast majority of child deaths happen at home. Early symptoms in children are harder to detect, but parents also fear separation from their children at treatment facilities. Separated children are currently being cared for in nurseries and specialized Ebola Treatment Center structures, or by extended family and community members where suitable facilities aren't available. 

With the October launch activities in the Grand Nord, The IRC is scaling up our response in Beni and Butembo focusing on training and briefing staff on infection prevention and control in Level 1 and Level 2 health facilities to safely identify, contain, and refer Ebola virus cases; restoring handwashing points; ensuring availability of protective equipment; improving triage and patient pathways; strengthening waste and linen management; and establishing or reinforcing a mechanism for managing occupational exposures and accidents, with regular follow-up on corrective measures.

Note to the editor: Respondents were selected through targeted sampling rather than at random, so the findings indicate broader trends but are not statistically representative.