An Ebola outbreak in DR Congo has killed 961 children since May, according to Save the Children.
The aid group said children are dying at an average rate of about seven per day. It cited figures from the Democratic Republic of Congo’s Ministry of Health.
Since May 15, at least 2,071 children under 18 have contracted Ebola.
Of those, 961 have died.
Africanews reported the figures on Thursday.
Ebola outbreak in DR Congo hits young children
Children under five have been particularly affected by the outbreak.
Save the Children said 623 child deaths involved children younger than five.
That represents about two-thirds of all reported Ebola deaths among children.
The case fatality rate is also higher among the youngest patients.
According to the charity, the rate among children aged four and younger stands at 61 percent.
By comparison, the overall case fatality rate for the outbreak is 48 percent.
Save the Children has therefore called for stronger measures to protect young children.
More than 8,000 Ebola cases recorded
The outbreak was detected in eastern DR Congo on May 15.
Since then, thousands of infections have been recorded.
The latest Health Ministry figures cited by Africanews show 8,300 cases.
At least 4,018 people have died.
The outbreak continues to affect communities across eastern parts of the country.
Save the Children calls for stronger protection
Save the Children said the high number of deaths among children requires greater attention.
Young children account for a large share of the reported child fatalities.
The organisation is calling for stronger protection as health authorities continue their response to the outbreak.
The latest figures highlight the severe impact of Ebola in DR Congo, particularly among children under five.