MSF Says Ebola Spread in DR Congo’s North Kivu Is Out of Control

Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) has warned that Ebola transmission in North Kivu province, in the Democratic Republic of Congo, is “out of control” amid a sharp rise in cases and growing pressure on medical facilities.

According to MSF, North Kivu is accounting for nearly 40 per cent of all newly confirmed Ebola incidents nationwide. The agency said treatment facilities in the province were being stretched beyond their limits and called for an urgent expansion of Ebola treatment capacity.

Unknown transmission chains

Stephanie Hoffmann, coordinator at the MSF Ebola Treatment Centre in Butembo, said most new cases were being traced to unknown chains of transmission. She also identified limited community engagement as one of the main challenges facing the response.

Hoffmann said 75 per cent of Ebola deaths were community deaths involving people who had never been seen in treatment or transit centres. “Seventy-five per cent of all deaths stemming from Ebola are community deaths,” she said, referring to people who were not reached by those facilities.

She said many people who became seriously ill were being cared for by relatives and friends. Hoffmann also pointed to fear of the disease and reluctance to seek medical assistance as factors complicating efforts to contain transmission.

“There’s a lot of fear about the disease because it is a very scary disease and there’s fear to seek help,” she said.

Spread beyond Butembo

Confirmed Ebola cases have been reported in all neighbouring health zones around Butembo. Hoffmann said the outbreak was moving from the city into rural areas where support was unavailable.

“So, it is jumping from the city centre into all of the rural areas where there’s actually no support whatsoever,” she said.

The rise in cases has placed additional strain on ordinary health centres. MSF warned that the pressure on existing facilities was increasing risks for both patients and communities.

A politician in Butembo was killed hours after appearing on a local radio programme to raise awareness of Ebola prevention measures, according to the source material. The politician has not been identified, and no details about the circumstances or perpetrators of the killing were provided.

Outbreak began in Ituri

The outbreak began in Ituri province, north of North Kivu, and spread for months before it was detected. It was announced in May after dozens of people had died.

The outbreak was caused by the rare Bundibugyo virus and has been described as the deadliest outbreak in the history of the Democratic Republic of Congo.

MSF’s warning came on Tuesday as health workers faced continued difficulties locating cases and connecting patients with care. The organisation said the urgent expansion of treatment capacity was necessary as transmission continued across urban and rural areas.