Ebola cases surpass 900 in eastern Congo amid intensifying outbreak

Suspected Ebola cases in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo have now exceeded 900, as health authorities struggle to contain an outbreak unfolding in a region already affected by armed conflict and displacement.

The Congolese ministry of communication said in a post on X on May 24 that there were 904 suspected cases and 119 suspected deaths. Previously, officials had reported more than 700 suspected cases and over 170 suspected deaths, mostly concentrated in Ituri province, the epicentre of the outbreak, The Guardian reports.

The World Health Organization has assessed the situation as posing a “very high” risk for the Democratic Republic of Congo, while stating that the risk of international spread remains low.

Authorities are facing major challenges in containing the outbreak, which has been declared a global health emergency, as insecurity in the region hampers response efforts.

Aid operations have been disrupted by attacks on Ebola treatment centres in eastern Congo, including incidents last week in which two facilities were set on fire in separate towns. The violence has underscored growing anger in a region affected by armed groups, displacement, weak governance, and reduced international aid.

Colin Thomas-Jensen, director of impact at the Aurora Humanitarian Initiative, said the attacks may reflect the “built-in skepticism and anger” of people in eastern Congo over how the region has been treated, with years of violence from foreign-linked rebel groups and a failure of their government and international peacekeepers to protect them.

Another source of tension has been strict burial protocols imposed by health authorities to prevent transmission of the virus during traditional funerals, where family members typically prepare bodies and gather in large numbers.

“The first burning of an Ebola centre in Rwampara was by a group of young men trying to retrieve a friend’s body, according to witnesses and police. The witnesses said the crowd accused the foreign aid group operating there of lying about Ebola.”

Authorities in northeastern Congo have since banned funeral wakes and gatherings of more than 50 people, with armed police and soldiers now guarding some burials conducted by health workers.

The region has long been affected by violence from multiple armed groups, including the Rwanda-backed M23 rebels and the Allied Democratic Forces, an Islamist group linked to the Islamic State network, which have contributed to widespread insecurity and displacement.

Humanitarian agencies say the fragile security situation is severely limiting the Ebola response. The UN humanitarian office estimates nearly one million people have been displaced in Ituri province alone.

“It means the Ebola outbreak is “unfolding in communities already facing insecurity, displacement and fragile healthcare systems,” said Gabriela Arenas, a regional coordinator at the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies.

Concerns are growing that the virus could spread to displacement camps near the city of Bunia, where the first cases were reported.

Aid groups also warn that funding cuts from wealthy nations have further weakened response capacity.

The cuts “reduced the capacity to detect and respond to infectious disease outbreaks”, said Thomas McHale, public health director at Physicians for Human Rights.

Health workers on the ground say they are struggling with shortages of protective equipment, testing kits, and burial materials.

“We have made requests to different partners, but we have not yet really received anything,” said Julienne Lusenge, president of Women’s Solidarity for Inclusive Peace and Development, an aid group operating a small hospital near Bunia.

“We only have hand sanitiser and a few masks for the nurses,” she said.

The current outbreak involves the Bundibugyo strain of Ebola virus, which has no approved vaccine or specific treatment.

By Sabina Mammadli