DRC's Kivu provinces report over 50,000 suspected measles cases amid ongoing health crises

The eastern Democratic Republic of Congo is facing a severe measles outbreak, with over 50,820 suspected cases reported in the provinces of North Kivu and South Kivu between January and July 2026. This alarming figure comes from official data cited by Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) and consulted by Radio Okapi.

Nationally, the DRC has registered more than 108,643 suspected measles cases and tragically, 1,394 deaths during the same seven-month period. This health crisis unfolds as the eastern region of the DRC is also grappling with an ongoing Ebola epidemic.

MSF emphasizes that the significant mobilization of resources and attention towards the Ebola outbreak should not lead to a reduction in efforts to combat other critical health emergencies. The organization stresses the continued need for focus and resources for measles, cholera, and malaria.

In response to the measles crisis, MSF has undertaken six interventions in North and South Kivu. Their most recent efforts in Walikale (North Kivu) and Shabunda (South Kivu) have provided treatment for over 12,050 patients and administered vaccinations to more than 283,000 children. The NGO also reported that the DRC has recorded over 35,464 suspected cholera cases with 1,051 deaths, with a significant concentration of these cases in North and South Kivu.