NEW YORK, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News / WAM – 01st Sep, 2026) Tom Fletcher, United Nations Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator, has warned that the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo is spreading at an unprecedented pace, calling for urgent international action and funding before it spirals out of control.
Speaking during a virtual briefing to UN Member States on Tuesday, Fletcher described the outbreak as the fastest-growing Ebola epidemic on record.
He said the virus was spreading in a country already facing a profound humanitarian crisis, with nearly 11 million people in need of assistance amid conflict-driven displacement, acute food insecurity and widespread malnutrition.
The outbreak has reached six provinces, including areas where violence and insecurity are restricting humanitarian access. Weak local health systems are further complicating efforts to detect cases, trace contacts, treat patients and build trust with affected communities.
Fletcher stressed that the international response must be urgently expanded to keep pace with the accelerating spread of the virus.
The United Nations has strengthened its response since activating its emergency mechanism on 9th June, including establishing operational humanitarian hubs in Bunia and Beni.
Fletcher also highlighted the severe risks facing frontline responders. More than 40 healthcare workers have died from Ebola while trying to save others, while treatment centres and ambulances have come under attack.
“These front-line responders must be protected,” he said.
The revised 2026 Humanitarian Needs and Response Plan for the Democratic Republic of the Congo requires US$2.1 billion, including $300 million for Ebola-related activities.
Fletcher urged the international community to keep the crisis high on the global agenda, ensure safe and rapid humanitarian access and provide increased, flexible funding for both the Ebola response and the wider humanitarian operation.
“Time is not on our side,” he warned. “We have beaten Ebola before. And we can do it again.”
