Ebola Cases Surpass 8,000 in DR Congo as Outbreak Remains Uncontrolled

The Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) has recorded more than 8,000 cases of Ebola, including nearly 4,000 deaths, as health authorities struggle to contain what has become the country’s worst outbreak of the disease.

According to the latest data released by the DRC’s public health institute on Monday, the country has recorded 8,067 Ebola cases and 3,901 deaths, representing a fatality rate of 48.4 percent.

The outbreak was officially declared on May 15 and has been worsened by public mistrust and anger over government health measures. Health officials say these challenges are making efforts to contain the virus more difficult.

In Butembo, North Kivu province, a senior member of the ruling UDPS party, Marie-Celestin Karondwa, was reportedly attacked and beaten to death after appearing on a radio programme to discuss Ebola prevention measures.

Africa’s health agency, the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC), said the number of new cases has levelled off following a rapid rise. However, it warned that the outbreak remains “not under control.”

The current outbreak involves the Bundibugyo species of Ebola, for which there is currently no approved vaccine or treatment. Several experimental vaccines and treatments are being tested as health workers attempt to slow the spread of the virus.

Health authorities have also reported serious challenges in treating patients, including limited healthcare capacity in parts of Ituri province and shortages of experimental vaccine supplies in Tshopo province.

Experts have attributed the rapid spread of the outbreak to weak healthcare infrastructure, remote communities and continuing conflict near the DRC’s borders with South Sudan, Uganda and Rwanda.

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

The United States last week announced an additional $267 million in funding to support the Ebola response. Washington is also seeking contributions from other countries toward a $2 billion international funding target to help combat the disease, particularly in the DRC.