The Integrated Outbreak Analytics (IOA) approach was developed during the 2018 Ebola outbreak by UNICEF, WHO, CDC-Atlanta and Epicentre under the direction of the Ministry of Health (MoH). UNICEF led the CASS (Social Sciences Analytics Cell) which provided the platform for IOA to systematically complement epidemiological data and modelling with social science evidence to understand the epidemiological, behavioural and perception trends in relation to the outbreak and the outbreak response. Insights from the application of IOA in Ebola were quickly translated into recommendations for humanitarian responders in the COVID-19 pandemic in the DRC and beyond. In the DRC, IOA integrated epidemiological data, evidence on perceptions and factors influencing behaviours generated by the CASS team with health services and other available data to explain trends in health outcomes and epidemiological trends. Recommendations were co-developed with technical and operational partners, and tracked transparently. IOA highlighted critical broader health impacts of the pandemic on communities, including the impact of COVID-19 on women and girls, that shaped response actions.