DRC - Measles outbreak 2026

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South Kivu: Despite Ebola, MSF remains committed to ensuring access to essential care

Press releases
July 20, 2026

The Ebola virus disease outbreak, declared on May 15, 2026, in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), occurred within a context already marked by a series of health and humanitarian crises. While other epidemics continue to claim victims and armed conflict limits access to healthcare for thousands of people, Doctors Without Borders (MSF) calls for attention not to be diverted from other vital health needs and reaffirms its commitment to maintaining essential care, particularly in the province of South Kivu.

“This epidemic is not unfolding in a healthcare vacuum,” explains Issa Moussa, MSF’s head of programs in South Kivu. “The lessons learned from previous outbreaks are clear: concentrating all efforts on a single emergency can have dramatic consequences. When basic healthcare is disrupted, more people are likely to die from preventable diseases than from the epidemic itself.”
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MSF's emergency teams remain mobilized in South Kivu and Maniema, as well as in the rest of the country. They maintain continuous monitoring of health alerts and deploy rapidly to respond to epidemics and other emergencies. Currently, they are responding to a measles outbreak in the Shabunda health zone, where the case fatality rate has reached an alarming 25%. Between April and June 2026, nearly 2,320 measles patients were treated in the Shabunda, Bunyakiri, Kalehe, and Minova health zones. In parallel, a vaccination campaign conducted in April in Kalehe immunized 43,622 children against the disease, while another 6,059 received catch-up multi-antigen vaccinations.

"The fight against an epidemic and the maintenance of essential care must go hand in hand," concludes Issa Moussa.

https://www.msf.org/fr/rdcongo/sud-...ée-pour-garantir-l’accès-aux-soins-essentiels

 

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DRC: More than 50,820 suspected cases of measles reported in North Kivu and South Kivu between January and July 2026

Mon 17/08/2026 - 14:49

More than 50,820 suspected cases of measles were reported in the provinces of North Kivu and South Kivu between January and July 19, 2026, according to official data cited by Doctors Without Borders (MSF).

Nationally, the Democratic Republic of Congo recorded over 108,643 suspected cases of measles and 1,394 deaths during the same period. Nearly half of these cases, more than 50,820, were concentrated in the two Kivu provinces.

This health crisis comes at a time when eastern DRC is also facing an Ebola virus disease epidemic. For MSF, however, the significant mobilization around this epidemic must not lead to a reduction in attention and resources devoted to other health emergencies, particularly measles, cholera, and malaria.

As part of its response to the measles outbreak, Doctors Without Borders reports having carried out six interventions in North Kivu and South Kivu. The most recent interventions took place in Walikale, North Kivu, and Shabunda, South Kivu.

According to the organization, these interventions have made it possible to treat more than 12,050 patients and to vaccinate more than 283,150 children.

Measles is not the only disease that continues to threaten populations in North and South Kivu. According to data cited by MSF, the DRC had recorded more than 35,464 suspected cases of cholera and more than 1,051 deaths. Of these reported cases, 14,819 were concentrated in North and South Kivu.

In Goma, MSF teams were mobilized against a cholera outbreak between May and early August 2026. In total, more than 2,410 people with cholera were treated in facilities supported by the organization.

Doctors Without Borders believes that these various health emergencies must continue to be addressed simultaneously. The organization emphasizes that the populations of eastern DRC are already living in a context marked by armed conflict, population displacement, and difficulties in accessing healthcare.

Faced with this situation, MSF calls for the maintenance of care and funding dedicated to the various health crises in order to avoid the Ebola response being at the expense of other health needs in North Kivu and South Kivu.

Josué Mutanava, in Goma

https://actualite.cd/2026/08/17/rdc...le-signales-au-nord-kivu-et-au-sud-kivu-entre

 

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Measles control situation in the Democratic Republic of Congo | Epidemiological Week 34, year 2026​

September 2026|Bulletin

Executive Summary:
Measles Control Situation in the Democratic Republic of Congo -
Epidemiological Week 34, Year 2026

Since the beginning of 2026, the Democratic Republic of Congo has continued to face significant measles transmission, a disease that remains endemic and regularly causes outbreaks in several provinces of the country. The situation observed during epidemiological week 34 confirms the persistence of this health threat, despite efforts to strengthen routine immunization and response campaigns.

Between weeks 1 and 34 of 2026, a total of 122,236 suspected cases and 1,593 deaths were reported, representing a case fatality rate of 1.3%. This situation represents a significant worsening compared to the same period in 2025. The epidemic is affecting all provinces of the country, demonstrating widespread circulation of the virus and the continued existence of pockets of the population with insufficient protection against the disease.

Demographic analysis shows that young children remain the most vulnerable. Approximately eight out of ten cases involve children under five years of age, highlighting the importance of strengthening routine immunization and catching up with unvaccinated or under-vaccinated children.

Over the past four weeks, the most concerning situation has been observed in the eastern and central provinces of the country. South Kivu remains the epicenter of current transmission, with more than 5,000 suspected cases recorded during this period, followed by North Kivu, Maniema, and Sankuru. Several health zones in these provinces continue to report intense epidemic activity, particularly in contexts characterized by limited access, population movements, and logistical challenges affecting health services.

Laboratory results confirm the continued active circulation of the measles virus. A total of 1,413 positive IgM cases were recorded from January to August 2026. Available data reveal that a majority of confirmed cases involve unvaccinated children, highlighting the gaps in vaccination coverage that continue to fuel transmission.

The quality of surveillance remained high, with 5,663 cases investigated and 1,413 biological confirmations. However, substantial delays in sample delivery were observed in several provinces, notably South Kivu, Tanganyika, North Kivu, Tshuapa, and Lomami, which may delay outbreak confirmation and the rapid implementation of control interventions.

To address these outbreaks, reactive vaccination campaigns were conducted in several provinces. Interventions in Haut-Lomami, Kasaï Oriental, Kasaï Central, Sud-Kivu, and Nord-Kivu reached more than three-quarters of a million children. Some operations even exceeded initial target estimates, reflecting strong community mobilization and a likely revision of local population projections.

In parallel, the DRC is continuing the gradual introduction of the measles-rubella vaccine through a large-scale national campaign targeting more than 62.5 million children aged 6 months to 14 years. The results already available for blocks 1 and 2 show generally satisfactory coverage levels, although some provinces, notably Kinshasa and Mongala, still require catch-up activities to reach programmatic objectives.

In conclusion, the measles situation in the DRC remains concerning due to the high level of transmission observed in 2026 and the persistence of active outbreaks in several provinces. Nevertheless, the joint efforts of the Ministry of Health, WHO, UNICEF, and other partners are strengthening surveillance, improving outbreak response, and accelerating the introduction of the measles-rubella vaccine. Maintaining high vaccination coverage, improving the quality of surveillance, and rapidly implementing responses remain essential for sustainably reducing measles-related morbidity and mortality in the DRC.

Situation de la lutte contre la rougeole en République démocratique du Congo | Semaine épidémiologique 34, année 2026

Résumé exécutifSituation de la lutte contre la rougeole en République démocratique du CongoSemaine épidémiologique 34, année 2026

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