Congo Ebola
Students attend a school assembly on the first day of the new school year amid the Ebola virus outbreak, in Ituri, Congo, Tuesday, Sept. 1, 2026.
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A new academic year has started across Congo despite concerns by parents and teachers that the country’s Ebola outbreak still poses risks to children in the epicenter. The resumption of classes Tuesday comes in the middle of a ravaging disease outbreak that is spreading rapidly. The union representing teachers in Ituri province, the epicenter of the outbreak, had called for a delay in restarting classes but the government pressed ahead. Some schools in Ituri, especially those owned by the government, recorded low turnouts. The Ebola outbreak has killed 2,950 people among 6,100 confirmed cases since mid-May. The outbreak caused by the Bundibugyo virus is spreading rapidly.
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