Ebola Outbreak Now Deadliest in Congo, Death Toll Exceeds 2,300
The rapidly spreading Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DR Congo) has become the deadliest in the country’s history. Latest government data released on Monday (17/8) showed the death toll has surpassed 2,300 people in just three months.
The United Nations (UN) has described the outbreak as the fastest-growing ever recorded, with an average of one death every 30 minutes in DR Congo. To date, there is no specific vaccine or treatment for the Bundibugyo strain that has triggered the current surge in cases.
Officially declared on 15 May, the 17th outbreak in DR Congo is believed to have spread several weeks before being detected. The disease has hit the northern and eastern regions, areas where state presence is very weak, health infrastructure is minimal, and armed groups have operated for decades.
According to Congolese authorities, the current death toll stands at 2,325 people from 4,945 confirmed cases. This figure surpasses the previous deadliest outbreak in the country, which occurred between 2018 and 2020 and killed 2,299 people from 3,381 confirmed cases, according to World Health Organization (WHO) data.
As a global comparison, the deadliest Ebola outbreak in history occurred in West Africa between 2013 and 2016, killing more than 11,300 people, mainly in Liberia, Sierra Leone, and Guinea. Although the current situation is critical, the WHO has expressed hope of turning the tide and stopping the spread in DR Congo within the next three months.
The latest outbreak began in the conflict-ridden Ituri Province and has spread to five other provinces. In Bunia, the capital of Ituri, prevention efforts remain minimal. Although the city government ordered the installation of hand-washing facilities, many residents ignore health protocols in traditional markets.
“Community engagement in this response is still too weak,” said Mohamed Janabi, WHO Regional Director for Africa. He added that more than 70 per cent of deaths occur in community settings rather than in health centres.
Jean-Paul Malo Lotsima, a civil society official in Djugu, explained that many residents prefer to be treated at home because they attribute Ebola symptoms to poisoning or other illnesses. Fear of Ebola Treatment Centres (ETCs) is also high due to the perception that many people die after being taken there.
In addition to social factors, access to affected communities is hampered by the activities of armed groups. The North Kivu and South Kivu regions are currently divided by front lines between the Congolese army and the Rwanda-backed M23 rebel group.
Meanwhile, the medical response faces criticism for being slow and disorganised. Local medical staff, including nurses and burial workers, staged strikes at several hospitals in Ituri to demand payment of bonuses.
The International Council of Nurses has urged DR Congo authorities to provide adequate wages and protection for frontline health workers. Several vaccines are currently undergoing trials against the Ebola strain that is spreading.