DR Congo Ebola Outbreak Surpasses 5,000 Cases; WHO Declares Global Emergency

The Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo has reached 5,000 cases, with government data showing 5,021 cases and 2,378 deaths as of Sunday.

World Health Organization (WHO) Director-General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said on Tuesday the outbreak remains a global health emergency and is far from being under control. Ghebreyesus stated the outbreak is spreading faster than any previous one in the country and the risk of national and international spread remains high. The current outbreak, which began in mid-May, has infected and killed more people at a greater speed than any other in history.

It is Congo's 17th Ebola epidemic and has become the deadliest in the country's history, surpassing the 2018-2020 outbreak. The WHO estimates it will likely surpass the 2014-2016 West Africa outbreak, which recorded over 11,000 deaths. Dieudonne Mwamba, Director General of the DRC’s National Public Health Institute, noted an increase in cases and deaths in recent weeks, attributing it to unsafe areas and community resistance fueled by misinformation.

The outbreak has spread to six provinces in the north and east, regions characterized by weak state presence, lacking health infrastructure, and ongoing conflict with armed groups. Mwamba called for combined efforts to contain the epidemic, starting with Ituri Province, its epicenter. Thérèse Anyiya, a nurse in Ituri's capital Bunia, expressed exhaustion due to work demands and poor conditions, noting some health workers have gone on strike over unpaid wages.

Attacks on medical teams and vehicles are a recurring challenge, with one ambulance attacked in Bunia, according to Dr. Thierno Baldé, a WHO incident manager. Residents attacked a health team on Monday in Aru territory after a suspected case, setting fire to an ambulance and damaging two other vehicles. The ongoing outbreak is caused by the Bundibugyo species of Ebola, which has no approved vaccines or treatments.

The WHO emergency committee held its second meeting on Tuesday since declaring the outbreak a Public Health Emergency of International Concern on May 17. Ghebreyesus urged international assistance and said new recommendations would be issued to DRC and other at-risk countries.