The United Nations has announced an emergency allocation of up to $60 million from the Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) to accelerate efforts to contain an Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and neighbouring countries.

Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator Tom Fletcher said the humanitarian community is “fully mobilised” in response to the outbreak, which involves the Bundibugyo strain of the virus a variant for which there are currently no licensed vaccines or treatments.

He noted that the response is being led by the World Health Organization (WHO), under Director-General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, alongside UN agencies and humanitarian partners working in coordination across the affected region.

Fletcher described the operational environment as highly complex, citing ongoing conflict, population movement, and restricted access in some areas. He stressed the need for uninterrupted humanitarian access, including secure routes by air, land, and water, to ensure frontline responders can reach affected communities.

“Containment depends on fast, coordinated action at the community level,” he said, emphasising the importance of early warning systems, strong government coordination, and effective community engagement to build trust and improve response outcomes.

He added that lessons from previous outbreaks are guiding current efforts, including the pre-positioning of supplies, enhanced surveillance, and maintaining a civilian-led, non-militarised humanitarian approach.

The United States has already provided financial support to the response, which Fletcher welcomed as “swift and critical".

He confirmed he is in close contact with UN humanitarian coordinators and teams in the DRC, Uganda, and South Sudan, with additional personnel from UN agencies and partner organisations deploying this weekend to strengthen operations.

Fletcher paid tribute to frontline health workers and affected communities, praising their role in efforts to contain the outbreak.

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