The Democratic Republic of the Congo is facing a severe resurgence of the Ebola virus, with aid groups and healthcare workers issuing stark warnings about the country's fragile healthcare system being overwhelmed. Experts say the outbreak is far larger than confirmed cases suggest, and the risk of wider spread is real.
Rose Tchwenko, DRC country director for Mercy Corps, expressed deep concern over the speed of transmission, calling for urgent regional and global support. Hama Amado, a field coordinator for Alima in Bunia, told the Associated Press that the virus is gaining momentum and spreading in many areas, and the situation is far from under control.
It has been one week since the DRC declared its 17th Ebola outbreak. The viral disease, with a mortality rate between 25% and 90%, spreads through bodily fluids or contaminated materials, causing organ damage, vascular impairment, and severe bleeding.
Since the first known victim died in Bunia on April 24, nearly 750 suspected cases and 177 suspected deaths have been recorded. Mourners touched the body during a funeral, contributing to the spread. Hospitals are quickly overwhelmed; Trish Newport of Médecins Sans Frontières reported that every health facility contacted was full of suspect cases with no isolation space available.
Several factors impede the response: the strain's severity, lack of approved treatment or vaccine, remote and conflict-affected location, local funeral customs, and aid budget cuts driven by the Trump administration's foreign aid reductions.
A study by the International Committee of the Red Cross found that over half of health facilities in North and South Kivu provinces were damaged or destroyed, and nearly half reported significant staff departures since January 2025 due to conflict. Two incidents this week worsened the situation: an ADF attack in Ituri killed at least 17 people, and a crowd set fire to a treatment center in Rwampara after authorities refused to release a body for traditional burial.
Authorities have banned funeral wakes and limited public gatherings to 50 people, but cultural norms of physical contact hinder compliance. Jackson Lubula, a Bunia resident, now washes his hands with soap after every handshake.
Alima is deploying a portable treatment unit called Cube, a transparent plastic structure allowing interaction without protective gear. Dr. Richard Kojan, who developed the concept, said the outbreak is out of control, and medics are optimizing intensive care to improve survival chances with early admission.
As the virus spreads, anxiety grows in Bunia, but some remain hopeful. Jeanne, whose nephew is in a health facility, said she believes the disease will spread but not to an alarming level, hoping for the best.
Source: www.theguardian.com