Ebola Outbreak in DR Congo: Fear and Denial Amid Conflict
Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) is facing a severe health crisis once again. The 17th Ebola outbreak in the eastern region is now critical, with community fear and denial hindering lifesaving efforts.
In Mongbwalu, a town in Ituri province at the epicentre, 26-year-old Laureine Sakiya is one of the few residents who believe the deadly virus is real. After watching neighbours die one by one, she urges authorities to act. “The government must bring us vaccines,” she told AFP.
The primary challenge this time is the strain causing the outbreak: Bundibugyo. Unlike the Zaire strain, which has an effective vaccine, there is currently no specific vaccine or treatment available for Bundibugyo.
As of 24 May 2026, the outbreak has claimed at least 204 lives nationwide. In Mongbwalu, 88 of 322 suspected cases have died. The World Health Organization (WHO) declared it an international emergency after the virus spread to neighbouring provinces, reaching Uganda.
Deep-seated distrust of the government, rooted in decades of conflict and neglect, has fuelled conspiracy theories. Many locals view Ebola as a mystical illness or political fabrication.
Jonathan Imbalapay, a community leader in Mongbwalu, recounted the start of widespread fear. The first case was identified in Bunia, Ituri’s capital. When a corpse was transported 80km by road to Mongbwalu, the coffin broke due to poor road conditions.
Exposure of the infected remains to the open environment caused panic. Ironically, initial tests at the provincial lab failed to detect Ebola, reinforcing public belief that it was not a medical virus. Official confirmation only came after samples were sent to a biomedical lab in Kinshasa, 1,800km away.
Local hospitals in Mongbwalu operate with minimal facilities. Despite staff wearing full hazmat suits, basic sanitation is severely lacking — handwashing is done with plastic buckets, symbolising a delayed response to what could be one of the worst outbreaks in history.
International aid groups like Doctors Without Borders (MSF) have provided isolation tents for suspected patients. However, high mobility among gold miners and traders in this mineral-rich region makes contact tracing extremely difficult.
Adam Hussein, a traditional healer in Mongbwalu, expressed concern over those denying the virus’s existence. “I worry about those saying this disease was created. We must all take preventive measures before it’s too late,” he stressed.
WHO stated developing a new Ebola vaccine for this outbreak could take nine months. The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has banned foreign travellers from Congo, Uganda, and South Sudan for 30 days to prevent spread. The World Food Programme (WFP) warned that food insecurity and political instability in Congo are worsening Ebola risks, with 26.5 million facing acute hunger. Indonesia’s Ministry of Health has heightened vigilance at entry points following WHO’s emergency declaration, with no cases detected in the country yet.