Oxfam Ireland has today launched an emergency appeal to support its response to a rapidly spreading Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), which has already claimed over 134 lives and continues to escalate.
On 16 May, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared the outbreak a Public Health Emergency of International Concern, just 10 days after first receiving alerts of a high-mortality, unknown illness in Ituri Province.
The outbreak has since been confirmed as a new strain of Ebola, with no vaccine or treatment currently available and a fatality rate estimated between 30% and 50%.
According to the latest figures, there are now 536 suspected cases - the vast majority in Ituri Province. Without effective containment, the spread of infectious disease poses a growing threat to global health systems, particularly in lower-income countries.
Up to 2 million people at risk
Oxfam warns that up to 2 million people - many already struggling to meet basic needs - could be affected as efforts to contain the outbreak disrupt daily life, livelihoods and access to essential services.
Recent global aid cuts have further weakened response capacity in the DRC, leaving local health systems and humanitarian partners under significant strain at a critical moment. For millions of people, these funding gaps have led to the closure of medical facilities, shortages of life-saving medicines, and a sharp decline in essential health and disease surveillance services.
Oxfam’s teams, already present in affected areas, are drawing on experience from previous Ebola responses – including in 2018 - to rapidly scale up efforts on the ground.
The organisation is developing a comprehensive response plan focused on containing the spread of the disease, delivering public health promotion and supporting affected communities to cope with the economic and social impacts.
“This is a fast-moving and deeply concerning outbreak in an already fragile context. Communities in eastern DRC are facing a deadly disease without treatment or vaccines, while also dealing with conflict and the impact of global aid cuts. Oxfam is already on the ground and ready to respond, but urgent support is needed to scale up efforts to save lives. This outbreak is still at a stage where decisive action can prevent a much larger crisis. Strengthening support now will help contain the outbreak, protect vulnerable communities, and prevent further regional destabilization.”
— Jim Clarken, Oxfam Ireland CEO
With global attention on the crisis still limited, Oxfam Ireland is calling on the Irish public to support its emergency appeal and help deliver critical assistance to communities on the frontlines.
Clare Cronin, Head of Communications – Oxfam Ireland clare.cronin@oxfam.org +353 (0)87 195 2551
WHO declared the Ebola outbreak in DRC a Public Health Emergency of International Concern on 16 May 2026.
Initially detected in Bunia, the outbreak has spread rapidly to Beni, Butembo and Goma, raising fears of wider, undetected transmission.
The outbreak involves a new Ebola strain with no approved vaccine or treatment.
Up to 2 million people could be affected in eastern DRC.
Oxfam has extensive experience responding to Ebola outbreaks, including during the 2018 crisis.
Oxfam Ireland’s appeal will support emergency public health, water, sanitation and community protection interventions.
The scale of displacement in the DRC continues to worsen, with approximately 5.6 million internally displaced persons and 4.3 million returnees across the country.
Around 1.25 million Congolese refugees are living across Africa, while over 603,000 refugees are currently hosted within the DRC.
An estimated 26.6 million people are in need of food assistance (IPC), reflecting the severity and scale of food insecurity across the country.
“This is a fast-moving and deeply concerning outbreak in an already fragile context. Communities in eastern DRC are facing a deadly disease without treatment or vaccines, while also dealing with conflict and the impact of global aid cuts. Oxfam is already on the ground and ready to respond, but urgent support is needed to scale up efforts to save lives. This outbreak is still at a stage where decisive action can prevent a much larger crisis. Strengthening support now will help contain the outbreak, protect vulnerable communities, and prevent further regional destabilization.”
