More than 1,700 people have died in eastern Congo from the fastest-growing Ebola outbreak recorded, according to the latest government data released Tuesday. The outbreak, declared on May 15, has recorded 3,802 cases, resulting in 1,707 deaths.
Africa CDC Director-General Jean Kaseya stated that it is unclear when the outbreak will peak, noting that nearly 80% of new cases stem from community spread rather than contact tracing. The Director-General of the World Health Organization, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, is scheduled to visit the Congolese capital, Kinshasa, and the outbreak's epicenter in Ituri province later this week.
The outbreak is primarily linked to the Bundibugyo virus, for which there are no approved vaccines or treatments. Response efforts have been hindered by delays in contact tracing, difficulties accessing affected areas, community mistrust, and violence from armed groups and residents.
The majority of cases, nearly 90%, are concentrated in Ituri province. However, cases have also been confirmed in five other provinces, including the major city of Kisangani.
Neighboring Uganda declared itself free of Ebola in mid-June after its last patient was discharged. The World Health Organization is monitoring over 17,000 potential contacts, with approximately 80% being checked daily.
A significant challenge is the as-yet-unidentified patient zero, coupled with displacement caused by armed conflict and illegal mining in the region, which complicates tracing individuals who have come into contact with infected people.
In the hard-hit town of Mongbwalu, healthcare workers issued an ultimatum on Monday regarding unpaid wages, threatening escalation if their demands are not met within 24 hours. Previously, healthcare workers in Bunia had gone on strike due to a lack of pay and hazardous working conditions. The WHO reports that over 100 healthcare workers have contracted the virus since the outbreak began.
This latest outbreak has a higher mortality rate than previous ones, including the 2014-2016 outbreak, which saw over 11,000 deaths from 28,000 reported cases. That earlier outbreak took about eight months to reach 1,000 deaths.
Further complicating the response are a funding gap, attacks on health centers, the ongoing conflict in eastern Congo, and persistent mistrust among local populations. Two clinical trials for post-exposure prophylaxis drugs are underway in Ituri province, alongside separate vaccine trials in the U.K. and Canada. Enrollment has also begun for a study on two potential Ebola treatments in Ituri.