WHO Monitors Record Ebola Outbreak in DRC and Kenya’s El Niño Health Contingency Plan

The World Health Organization (WHO) has raised alarms over two significant health crises in Africa: a complex, record-breaking Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and the urgent need for climate-resilient health strategies in Kenya. While the DRC grapples with the largest epidemic in its history, Kenya is working in partnership with the WHO to mitigate the catastrophic potential of the upcoming 2026/2027 El Niño season. These situations highlight the dual challenges of infectious disease management and climate-driven health risks currently facing the continent’s healthcare systems.

In the DRC, the Ebola outbreak has become "increasingly heterogeneous," with transmission trends varying widely across provinces. A recent WHO report identifies a troubling spike in community deaths, which accounted for 75% of confirmed fatalities between August 31 and September 6. This high percentage suggests significant barriers to care and delays in detection that allow the virus to spread undetected outside of clinical settings. Since the outbreak was declared in May, there have been 6,686 confirmed cases and 3,226 deaths. Vaccination efforts began on August 27, primarily targeting frontline healthcare workers, with 2,007 individuals vaccinated as of early September. The WHO currently assesses the risk within the DRC as "very high" and considers the threat to neighboring countries to be "high."

Simultaneously, the Kenyan Ministry of Health and the WHO are ramping up preparedness for the 2026/2027 El Niño deluge to prevent a repeat of previous climate-related disasters. WHO Representative Neema Rusibamayila Kimambo emphasized the importance of continuous risk assessments to safeguard health services ahead of the heavy rains. Past seasons have proven devastating, with flooding causing 122 deaths and displacing over 42,000 people across 27 counties. To address these threats, the government has activated the Health Sector El Niño Contingency Plan, focusing on disease surveillance for waterborne illnesses like cholera and typhoid, ensuring water safety, and maintaining the continuity of essential health services during environmental disruptions.

These concurrent crises underscore the necessity for regional cooperation and robust emergency response frameworks. In the DRC, the Ebola epidemic is now the second-largest in history, trailing only the 2014-2016 West African outbreak, necessitating intense international focus. In East Africa, the proactive measures taken by Kenya serve as a critical model for mitigating the health impacts of extreme weather events. Both the WHO and national governments remain on high alert, emphasizing that coordinated surveillance and rapid intervention are the most effective tools for protecting vulnerable populations against both emerging pathogens and the health consequences of a changing climate.