The Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo has claimed more than 1,500 lives, with health authorities warning that the virus continues to spread faster than response efforts can contain it, according to the latest government figures.
The Democratic Republic of Congo has recorded 3,442 confirmed Ebola cases and 1,521 deaths, according to a government update released on Thursday. The figures represent a sharp rise in fatalities over the past week, highlighting the growing challenge of containing the outbreak in the country’s conflict-hit eastern provinces.
Rising toll
Health officials say the worsening outbreak is being fuelled by insecurity, limited access to affected communities and severe shortages of medical resources. Decades of armed conflict in eastern Congo have weakened public services, making surveillance, treatment and emergency response increasingly difficult.
The Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) said part of the increase reflects a backlog of cases and deaths that had not previously been confirmed or recorded. Even so, the agency warned that transmission remains widespread in several affected areas.
Challenges mount
The outbreak involves the Bundibugyo strain of Ebola, the rarest of the four variants known to infect humans. Unlike the Zaire strain, no proven vaccine is currently available for Bundibugyo, limiting health authorities’ ability to contain the disease through mass vaccination campaigns.
The outbreak is unfolding in areas affected by persistent violence between armed groups, further disrupting healthcare delivery. Africa CDC said delays in contact tracing, restricted access to communities and mistrust of health workers have significantly slowed containment efforts.
The epidemic remains centred in the remote eastern province of Ituri, which accounts for nearly 90% of reported infections. Cases have also been confirmed in five other provinces, including Kisangani, one of the country’s largest cities.
Treatment concerns
Africa CDC Director-General Dr. Jean Kaseya said 63% of confirmed Ebola deaths recorded over the past two weeks occurred outside treatment centres.
Health officials attributed many of those deaths to unsafe handling of infected bodies, warning that Ebola victims remain highly infectious after death. Traditional burial practices involving direct contact with the deceased continue to contribute to transmission in some communities.
Earlier this month, healthcare workers in Ituri staged a strike over unpaid salaries and unsafe working conditions, further disrupting response operations.
International organisations supporting the Ebola response were also forced to temporarily relocate from the Nyakunde health zone after a July 15 attack on a hospital and an Ebola treatment centre following the death of a patient. Officials said the violence disrupted surveillance, contact tracing and the delivery of essential medical supplies.
Regional outlook
Neighbouring Uganda declared the end of its Ebola outbreak on Tuesday after the country’s last patient was discharged in mid-June, marking a significant milestone for regional health authorities.
Despite the rising death toll in Congo, the World Health Organization has maintained that the risk of international spread remains low. The agency said Ebola is transmitted through direct contact with infected bodily fluids rather than through the air, making it less likely to spread than respiratory viruses.
The WHO added that infections detected outside the Democratic Republic of Congo have so far been identified quickly and contained without leading to sustained transmission.
