Ebola spreads to new areas of DR Congo, including crowded camp
WHO warns that the Ebola outbreak in DR Congo is entering a more dangerous phase as cases emerge in new health zones and a displacement camp.
The World Health Organization has raised the alarm over the spread of Ebola in the Democratic Republic of Congo, as the virus reaches new areas, including a crowded displacement camp. The outbreak, caused by the rare Bundibugyo strain, was declared on May 15. According to WHO figures, there have been 676 confirmed cases and 136 deaths across Ituri, North Kivu, and South Kivu provinces. Thirty-two patients have recovered, while 119 cases are suspected.
Olivier le Polain, WHO’s head of epidemiology and analytics, said that cases are being identified in new health zones nearly every day. He noted that the scale of the outbreak is larger than currently detected, and that local transmission has begun in newly affected communities. Le Polain stressed that there are still many blind spots, and the full extent is not yet clear. He also pointed out that isolation bed capacity is far below the anticipated need, and contact tracing is improving but still insufficient.
The first Ebola-related deaths in the Kpanga displacement camp in Ituri province have been confirmed by the UN refugee agency. According to a Reuters report, the deaths occurred on May 31 and June 1. Aid workers fear rapid spread due to cramped conditions, where hundreds share a single toilet.
The response is hampered by decades of conflict, armed rebel groups, poor infrastructure, and massive displacement. The government lacks full control over affected areas. In neighbouring Uganda, 19 cases and two deaths have been reported, but the African Union’s health agency considers the situation under control.
No approved vaccines or treatments exist for the Bundibugyo virus species.
