New health data from the Democratic Republic of the Congo's Ituri Province show a sharp decline in children and women using essential healthcare services as fear of infection and service disruptions keep families away, UNICEF reported on 7 August 2026. Between April and June 2026, use of essential health services fell by 42 per cent in the primary outbreak hotspots of Bunia, Mongbwalu, Nizi and Rwampara, and by an estimated 13 per cent across the province.

UNICEF said routine childhood vaccinations fell by more than half in the hotspot areas, including a 69 per cent decline in first-dose measles vaccination in Mongbwalu. As of 2 August 2026, the agency counted 743 confirmed child cases and 330 child deaths among those aged 0-17. Children make up nearly one in four confirmed cases but almost one in three deaths, and children under five face a case fatality rate more than double that of adults.

UNICEF has trained and deployed around 13,000 frontline community actors, reached more than 2.4 million people with prevention guidance and carried out over 505,000 household visits. It revised its six-month appeal to US$113.45 million to expand work from 21 to 51 health zones, with US$23.5 million mobilized and a gap of US$89.9 million remaining.