The Ebola epidemic in the Democratic Republic of Congo continues to spread, with over 2 deaths and more than 4,500 confirmed cases since the current outbreak. The UN's top humanitarian official, Tom Fletcher, has called for an immediate increase in international assistance, warning that the response to the epidemic is facing a lack of resources and health capacity.

According to the latest data from Congolese authorities, 2,128 people have died out of 4,556 laboratory-confirmed cases, just about three months after the epidemic was declared. Fletcher said the situation requires greater international mobilization and announced that the UN has made available an additional $30.5 million from the Central Emergency Response Reserve Fund (CERF). This amount is in addition to the $24 million previously allocated for the Democratic Republic of the Congo and four neighboring countries.

According to the World Health Organization, of the $518 million needed for the joint epidemic preparedness and response plan, only $264 million has been secured so far. The current outbreak is associated with the Bundibugyo variant of the Ebola virus. There is currently no approved vaccine or treatment specific to this variant, and clinical trials are ongoing.

Congo has experienced several Ebola outbreaks over the years. The 2018–2020 outbreak was the deadliest in the country, with about 2,300 deaths out of 3,500 recorded cases. In total, Ebola has killed at least 15 people in Africa over the past five decades.