DR Congo Ebola Death Toll Passes 4,000 as Conflict Hampers Response

The Democratic Republic of the Congo’s Ebola outbreak has killed 4,018 people, according to government figures, with confirmed cases reaching 8,300 across seven provinces.

The outbreak has become the deadliest Ebola epidemic in the country’s history after surpassing the 2018-2020 outbreak. It is also the country’s 17th Ebola outbreak and was officially declared on May 15.

The figures, released on Friday, have not been independently verified in the information available. More than 2,000 patients have reportedly recovered.

Transit camp burned near Bunia

The response suffered another setback after soldiers burned an Ebola-hit camp containing a transit centre near Bunia, the capital of Ituri Province, while searching for weapons, according to the United Nations.

The incident forced 19,000 people to flee, adding to the difficulties facing efforts to isolate patients and limit transmission. The UN said the destruction of the facility made the challenge of stopping the outbreak more difficult.

Response operations have also been affected by weak infrastructure, the remoteness of affected areas and fighting involving armed groups. Mistrust and anger directed at health workers and authorities have further complicated attempts to secure cooperation from communities.

Violence and public mistrust

Marie-Celestin Karondwa, a senior member of the governing Union for Democracy and Social Progress, was attacked at his home in Butembo after taking part in a radio programme about the epidemic. His house was set on fire, and he later died in hospital from his injuries.

The incident has underscored the difficult environment in which health officials and other public figures are attempting to raise awareness about Ebola.

The current epidemic is caused by the Bundibugyo strain of Ebola. Several treatments and vaccines have been trialled, but no vaccine or treatment for the strain has been approved, according to the supplied information.

Concern over continued spread

The World Health Organization has warned that the epidemic is “far from over” and could surpass the 2014-2016 Ebola outbreak in West Africa, which killed more than 11,000 people, mainly in Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone.

The Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention said the number of confirmed cases was declining. However, the agency cautioned that insecurity and difficulties in obtaining cooperation from communities could partly explain the fall in reported cases.

The warning means that a lower number of confirmed infections cannot necessarily be taken as evidence that transmission is under control, particularly in areas where insecurity limits access and reporting.