Ebola Cases in Eastern Congo Surpass 1,000 as Death Toll Rises
Health officials report more than 1,000 confirmed Ebola infections and 254 deaths in eastern Congo, while contact tracing and security challenges hinder response efforts.
Health authorities in the Democratic Republic of Congo said confirmed infections from the Bundibugyo Ebola virus have risen to 1,003, with 254 fatalities, as the outbreak spreads across Ituri province. The ministry reported that 100 patients have recovered and at least 365 individuals remain in hospitals or isolation units.
Contact tracing remains incomplete, with officials estimating that only about 55% of the more than 35,000 people identified as contacts have been reached. The Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention director-general Dr. Jean Kaseya told the Associated Press that identifying the index case is essential for controlling the outbreak, adding that authorities lack confidence about when the epidemic began.
Security concerns further complicate the response. Ongoing rebel activity in the region has limited access to villages and displaced populations, including those in the Kigonze camp near Bunia, where camp officials reported ten deaths under unusual circumstances and called for an investigation.
The United Nations refugee agency warned that at least 2 million displaced persons, including over 320,000 refugees, live in areas at risk of Ebola, expressing deep concern about the virus’s accelerating spread. Charité Banza, a civil-society leader in Ituri, cautioned that an outbreak in the crowded displacement camp could have severe consequences given the fragile living conditions.
