At least 100 people have died from Ebola less than a month after authorities declared an outbreak of the disease in eastern Congo, officials said, highlighting a grim milestone as efforts to slow the spread intensify. The outbreak, caused by a severe form of Ebola, was declared on May 15 but was discovered weeks late, complicating containment measures.
Challenges in Containing the Outbreak
Attacks on health workers by angry residents, skepticism among locals, and armed conflict in affected areas continue to impede efforts to stop the disease. According to the latest situation report released late Monday, there have been 550 confirmed cases as of Sunday, resulting in 101 deaths and 19 recoveries. The outbreak is concentrated in Congo's eastern province of Ituri, which accounts for more than 90% of cases. Cases have also been reported in North Kivu and South Kivu provinces, and the disease has spread across the border to Uganda.
The actual number of cases is believed to be higher because the outbreak was confirmed weeks late. Contact tracing coverage, which has improved in recent days, remains at 64%.
Bundibugyo Virus Lacks Approved Vaccine
This outbreak is caused by the rare Bundibugyo virus, which has no approved vaccine or treatment, unlike the Zaire virus responsible for most of Congo's previous 16 Ebola outbreaks. The rapid increase in cases is partly due to the scale-up of diagnostic capacities, allowing testing of backlogged samples, authorities said.
Disruption in Ituri Capital
Health measures to limit the spread of Ebola have disrupted daily life in Bunia, the capital of Ituri province. Motorcyclist Justin Abekani said, "The authorities have asked us not to carry two customers on the same motorbike anymore. We are now only allowed to carry one customer per motorbike." Widespread skepticism and disregard for health protocols persist in some areas. Survivors of Congo's 2018 Ebola outbreak, the second-largest in history, have warned that repeating past mistakes could lead to many preventable deaths.
Frontline health workers, underpaid and overworked, have been attacked multiple times by angry residents. Conflict involving armed rebel groups has prevented them from reaching some communities. Eastern Congo has long suffered attacks from dozens of rebel and militant groups, some linked to foreign countries or the Islamic State group.
Conflict Hinders Disease Tracing
The World Health Organization said Monday that conflict is "constraining access for the response, disrupting surveillance and response activities, and increasing the risk of undetected transmission." WHO added that such incidents "underline the challenges of the context and the importance of working closely with local leaders and communities."
Nearly a million people have been displaced by conflict in Ituri, according to the U.N. humanitarian office, making contact tracing difficult as people flee attacks or move frequently in the vast province with dense forests, poor roads, and remote villages that can take days to reach. Tracing is also challenging among thousands of artisanal miners who regularly move between remote sites in the mineral-rich region.
WHO currently assesses the risk of spread to the rest of Africa and globally as low. "Ebola patients can recover if they get the medical support they need," WHO Director-General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said Monday during a visit to Uganda.
