The United Nations warns: The Ebola outbreak could cost Africa $3.6 billion.

Written by: Mohamed Ragab

The United Nations warned that the Ebola virus outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo could cause economic losses of up to $3.6 billion if it spreads to other African countries, confirming that the crisis is no longer limited to the health sector but now threatens economic development and social stability on the continent.

The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) clarified that the continued spread of the virus could lead to the loss of approximately 328,000 jobs and push nearly an additional million people into poverty if urgent measures are not taken to contain the epidemic.

Three scenarios for the consequences of the crisis

The report presented three possible scenarios for the impact of the Ebola outbreak on the African economy, indicating that the best-case scenario involves containing the disease within the Democratic Republic of Congo and Uganda, which would result in losses estimated at about $1 billion.

The worst-case scenario assumes the spread of infection to other countries like Rwanda and Angola, coinciding with continued global energy market turmoil, which could raise the volume of economic losses to about $3.6 billion, with wide-ranging repercussions on trade, investment, and supply chains.

Over 1,300 cases since the outbreak was declared

According to the latest data, the Democratic Republic of Congo has recorded over 1,300 cases, including 377 deaths, since the outbreak was declared on May 15, 2026, with a limited number of cases also reported in Uganda.

The current outbreak is due to the rare “Bundibugyo” strain of the Ebola virus, a strain for which there is no approved vaccine or treatment yet, which complicates health response efforts.

Calls for urgent response

The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) emphasized that the speed of intervention is the decisive factor in limiting repercussions, warning that delaying the containment of the disease could turn the health crisis into a development catastrophe with far-reaching effects for years to come.

The World Health Organization and the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention also stressed the need to enhance international funding, expand early detection and contact tracing capabilities, and support health systems in the most vulnerable countries.

Funding is still below needs

Although several international bodies have announced aid to confront the crisis, African health officials confirm that the available funding is still far below the actual needs.

The Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention had raised its response needs estimate to about $1.4 billion, and also called for $18 million to be urgently provided to start clinical trials on experimental treatments that could help limit the spread of the disease and reduce deaths.