UN refugee agency warns risks of Ebola among displaced people in Congo remain high

More than 2 million forcibly displaced people, including over 320,000 refugees, live in areas at risk in Congo, where fighting continues alongside the spread of Ebola disease, according to the UN.

The virus is spreading across the eastern provinces of Ituri, North Kivu, and South Kivu, with Ituri accounting for nearly 95% of the cases.

“Fears are growing about population movements into and out of affected areas, and their potential impact on transmission, reinforcing the need to align public health with protection interventions,” the refugee agency said in a statement.

The country’s health authorities have reported 896 confirmed cases, including 232 deaths across 31 health zones in Congo, according to a situation update late Thursday.

Uganda has confirmed 19 cases and two deaths. The UNHCR said none of the confirmed cases were refugees, but the “risks of the disease spreading among displaced people remain high.”

The agency said it witnessed recent movement of some 2,250 people to Oicha, North Kivu province from Mbau, 20km from Beni, one of the outbreak’s epicentres due to fear of armed groups.

It noted that for refugees and internally displaced people already facing trauma and insecurity, the outbreak is fueling fear and misinformation, eroding trust in response teams and delaying access to life‑saving care amid a lack of adequate humanitarian assistance.

The UNHCR emphasized the need for working with community leaders to build trust, counter misinformation and ensure that public health measures are aligned with population movements.

Noting that the risk is regional, UNHCR urged governments to continue to lead the response and have a responsibility to protect public health.

Earlier this week, the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) said the current Ebola epidemic in Congo is worsening the vulnerability of people already affected by armed conflict and other violence.