Ebola in DRC: What the headlines won't tell you

Learn more about the impact on children

Friend, Children and families in the Democratic Republic of Congo are facing a fast-moving and deadly Ebola outbreak. Children are already being disproportionately affected by this outbreak. We know the Ebola virus tends to be deadlier in children, with previous outbreaks having a 90% infant fatality rate and 80% in children under 4 — underscoring the urgent need to protect them and highlighting the importance of a child-centered response from the outset.  We’ve seen how drastically this virus has upended lives in the DRC. Today, we want to share some key reasons why children are the most at risk during an Ebola outbreak — and why your support is so vital.  You can get the latest updates on the situation in the DRC and learn more about our Ebola response here >> 1. Close contact with household members and caregivers   In the DRC, Marlène* holds her 2-month-old daughter as a health worker checks her temperature. Young children are especially vulnerable to infections because of their frequent contact with other household members and caregivers — and they can deteriorate rapidly without early detection. Women and girls also face increased exposure as primary caregivers for sick families.  For pregnant and breastfeeding women like Marlène, this outbreak means constant worry about her newborn's well-being — and fear of passing the virus along to her child if she becomes infected. “For us, as breastfeeding mothers,” she said, “this is truly frightening.” At a Save the Children health center, Marlène’s daughter received a health screening, and Marlène received guidance on preventive measures, including frequent handwashing and maintaining physical distance, which she now tries to follow carefully in her daily life.  2. Separation from family and caregivers   Marlène hands her newborn to a health worker for a screening. When family members become infected, young children may suddenly lose access to their primary caregiver, the one who knows their medications, routine and specific needs.  This can cause both short-term challenges to their daily lives and care and long-term impacts on the health and well-being of children who lose parents, family members or caregivers. 3. Disruptions to routine health care   Marlène hopes that her community continues to receive assistance throughout this outbreak. “What we need here are gloves, medicines, handwashing facilities and soap. All of these can help protect us from this disease.” During an outbreak, common services such as immunization, nutrition services and treatment for childhood illnesses may be delayed to prioritize people who’ve been infected. In a country already plagued by violent conflict, displacement and acute hunger, this means the fragile healthcare system is being pushed to the limit. It also means fewer resources to treat malnutrition and other illnesses that were already devastating communities across the DRC. Friend, Save the Children has been working in the DRC for decades. We were there within days of the last major Ebola outbreak, supporting hospitals, training health workers and countering the misinformation that was actively helping the virus spread.  Our teams are already here once again, reaching families across the country to contain the virus and ensure children’s survival. Amid this threatening virus, Save the Children will remain in communities to put children first. We’ll keep you updated on our teams’ long-term response. In the meantime, learn more about the work we’ve been doing in the DRC. Thank you for caring about the children who need us most. Save the Children   P.S. You can send urgent support to children affected by the Ebola outbreak in the DRC with a gift to our Ebola Crisis Relief Fund. Your donation today will help ensure our teams can respond quickly and save lives.      Privacy Policy | Contact | Unsubscribe   © 2026 Save the Children Federation, Inc. 501 Kings Highway East, Suite 400 Fairfield, CT 06825 1-800-728-3843 Photo: Patou Ndombi / Save the Children *Names changed for protection