Ebola kills 19 pupils at 37 schools in Ituri

Ebola virus disease has killed 19 pupils at 37 schools in Ituri province, DR Congo, between 1 September and 29 October 2026. Forty-four cases were confirmed, while 19 pupils recovered and six others remain hospitalised at Ebola treatment centres, Kivu Morning Post reports.

The outbreak affects six school subdivisions — Bunia, Irumu 1, Irumu 2, Mambasa 1, Mambasa 2 and Nizi — and seven health zones. Several parents are calling for schools to close, believing that children could transmit the virus when they return home.

School authorities have strengthened handwashing, temperature checks, the use of gels and awareness-raising. However, some parents and teachers consider these measures insufficient in overcrowded classrooms. An assessment meeting noted a weakening of prevention efforts, the silence of some school heads in the face of suspected cases and an unequal distribution of medical supplies, according to Kivu Morning Post.

The situation follows the October figures in Mandima, published on 29 October, and comes as the national death toll from the outbreak had exceeded 5,000 on 31 October. Health authorities are calling for suspected cases to be reported quickly and for supplies to be distributed fairly among schools.