The world’s fastest-growing Ebola outbreak is outpacing efforts to control it, according to the head of the World Health Organization. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO director-general, stated that new cases are doubling in some hotspots nearly three months after the outbreak was declared.
During a visit to the capital, Kinshasa, Tedros emphasized the urgent need for a massive scale-up of all response efforts by all partners. As of Monday, the outbreak had resulted in 3,874 confirmed cases and 1,751 deaths, according to Congo’s Ministry of Health.
In Ituri province, the outbreak's epicenter, many frontline health workers have gone on strike due to a lack of pay. This has worsened access to healthcare in an area already challenged by rebel conflict and its remote location bordering South Sudan, Uganda, and Rwanda. While some workers have reportedly begun receiving payments for work done since the outbreak started, they are demanding improved wages.
One resident of Bunia, the capital of Ituri, attributed the deaths of his two brothers from Ebola to the strike, urging authorities to find a swift solution to prevent further tragedies.
The U.S. Department of State announced on Wednesday an additional $242 million in funding for immediate Ebola response and preparedness efforts in the region, as well as humanitarian assistance related to the outbreak. This brings the total direct U.S. assistance to over $512 million.
This outbreak has surpassed all previous Ebola outbreaks in its speed of transmission and is the second-largest on record, following the 2014-2016 West Africa outbreak. The virus responsible for the current outbreak, Bundibugyo, does not have an approved treatment or vaccine. Local officials suspect it originated in a remote area before being declared on May 15.
The medical charity Doctors Without Borders described the outbreak as “spreading at an alarming and unprecedented rate,” noting that the response is expanding but still not reaching communities quickly enough to break transmission chains.
Dr. Jean Kaseya, head of the Africa Centers for Disease and Control, stated that contact tracing is not functioning effectively, with 60% to 70% of new cases occurring outside of monitored contacts. Officials note that late detection of cases contributes to the high fatality rate of 45%.
Kaseya, who met with Tedros, indicated that the Africa CDC is focusing on earlier detection, stronger contact tracing, rapid access to quality care, and deeper community engagement. Tedros called for enhanced efforts to reach all affected areas, strengthen coordination under government leadership, and protect health workers, stressing the importance of community trust and leadership in stopping the spread of Ebola.