Ebola Outbreak in DRC Worsens as Hospitals Overwhelmed and Death Toll Rises

Rapid spread of the Ebola virus is overwhelming healthcare facilities in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Under-resourced hospitals and clinics are struggling to manage patients, raising concerns about the difficulty of controlling the outbreak, which is the third largest in the history of this deadly disease. According to data from the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) as of this weekend, there have been at least 750 suspected cases with 177 official deaths. However, experts believe the actual toll is significantly higher than reported figures. Conditions on the ground are dire. Due to a lack of dedicated Ebola treatment centres in severely affected areas, patients are being treated in general wards. “Hospitals are fighting without any equipment,” stated Jean Kaseya, Director-General of Africa CDC, during a briefing in Kampala, Uganda. The province of Ituri, the epicentre of the outbreak, is experiencing an acute medical staffing crisis. A shortage of personnel has forced health authorities to rely on religious and ethnic community leaders to promote sanitation practices, such as handwashing and avoiding contact with Ebola victims’ bodies. Some healthcare facilities are even refusing patients with other serious illnesses to prioritise the surge in Ebola cases. At Karibuni Wamama Hospital in Bunia, medical staff are working without basic supplies like gloves and body bags, leading to several infections among personnel. Efforts to contain the outbreak are complicated by security issues. ISIS-affiliated militant groups have reportedly attacked villages near the outbreak zone, killing dozens and destroying settlements. Meanwhile, major cities like Goma and Bukavu are under the control of the M23 rebel group, which has cut off access to resources from the central government. Social tensions are also rising. Near Bunia, police had to use tear gas after crowds set fire to Ebola treatment tents. The unrest was triggered by medical staff refusing to hand over suspected Ebola victims’ bodies to families wanting to conduct traditional burial rites — a practice that poses a high risk of transmission. In response to the crisis, the governments of Congo and Uganda have requested $320 million in international aid. The United States has announced a $50 million contribution to build 50 treatment clinics in both countries. Neighbouring nations such as Uganda and Rwanda have tightened border controls, including closing crossings and banning flights from affected areas to prevent cross-border spread. International Red Cross and Red Crescent volunteers are being deployed to remote villages to provide early prevention education. (WSJ/I-2)