What is it?
The Ebola virus disease, formerly known as Ebola haemorrhagic fever is a severe and often fatal illness in humans. It is caused by a zoonotic virus that passes from animals (to humans, spreading then further in the human population through direct and indirect (e.g. bedding, clothing) contact with bodily fluids of infected people.
There are several species of the virus, but 2 were most recently the cause of large outbreaks:
- Ebola virus (EBOV) causing Ebola virus disease (EVD)
- Sudan virus (SUDV) causing Sudan virus disease (SVD)
While there are licensed vaccines and therapeutics for EVD, there is no approved vaccine or treatment for SVD. Early intensive supportive care including rehydration and treatment of specific symptoms, can improve survival. Seeking early care can be lifesaving.
Why is this important?
In the affected region the disease can have a devastating impact on:
- security
- economy
- healthcare system
During some of the larger outbreaks, the EU mobilises various resources to help Ebola patients, survivors and their families to contain the disease.
Health and care workers have frequently been infected while treating patients with EVD. This occurs through close contact with patients when infection control precautions are not strictly practiced. Burial ceremonies that involve direct contact with the body of a person who has died can also contribute to the transmission of Ebola disease.
To date, since the first registered outbreak in 1976, the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) has registered 16 outbreaks. The resurgence of outbreaks has accelerated, with 9 out of 16 reported during the last 16 years.
The 16th outbreak in the DRC was declared on 4 September 2025, after the first known patient died on 25 August from multiple organ failure. His symptoms included:
- high fever
- bloody diarrhoea
- haemorrhage
- extreme weakness
The outbreak comes on top of an already fragile humanitarian situation – due to the resurgence of the conflict in eastern DRC and against a backdrop of more than 7 million people displaced inside the country with limited access to:
- food
- clean water
- health services
How are we helping?
The EU response to outbreaks, including for EVD, is done in a multi-level and integrated way, through various partners and mechanisms, combining the humanitarian emergency response with the additional engagement of the EU Member States if needed.
The support provided by the EU facilitates the direct response by:
- case management
- surveillance
- coordination
- logistics
- psychosocial care
- safe and dignified burials
The EU is also helping to contain the transmission by:
- immunisation
- early-warning and risk communication
- community engagement activities
The EU through its Emergency Response Coordination Centre has mobilised a diverse response package, including:
- deploying a helicopter as part of the EU Humanitarian Air Flight operation
- delivering a temporary office and accommodation set-up in the most affected Bulape province, hosting 36 healthcare experts for 3 months
- €1.8 million in emergency humanitarian funding to strengthen the first response on the ground by our humanitarian partners
- 2 experts from Norway trained in medical evacuations and patient isolation to be deployed as members of WHO response and coordination team via the EU Civil Protection Mechanism
Overall, the EU has provided over €100 million for the humanitarian response in the country since the beginning of 2025, including for the health-related response to infectious disease outbreaks.