DR Congo Ebola death toll tops 500 as healthcare workers threaten strike

The death toll in the Democratic Republic of Congo's (DRC) Ebola outbreak has surpassed 500, the World Health Organization (WHO) reported Monday. Updated figures show 1,561 confirmed cases since the outbreak was declared in mid-May, including 506 confirmed deaths. Two additional deaths occurred in neighbouring Uganda, where the situation is more stable; 16 of 20 confirmed patients there have recovered.

The case fatality rate in the DRC stands at 32 percent. A total of 254 patients have recovered, and 354 suspected cases are under investigation. The outbreak is caused by the rare Bundibugyo species of Ebola, for which no approved vaccines or treatments exist. On Thursday, clinical trials began in the DRC for two potential treatments: the monoclonal antibody MBP134 and the antiviral drug remdesivir, tested alone and in combination.

Frontline workers in Ituri province, the epicentre of the outbreak, issued a 24-hour notice on Sunday threatening to strike if authorities fail to pay them and improve working conditions. The workers, mostly health professionals, have been labouring with little rest while facing attacks from angry residents and widespread scepticism about the virus. In a notice seen by the Associated Press, they said they had not received benefits since the outbreak began and lacked adequate supplies. They also complained of poor salaries, the "arrogance" of teams sent from the capital Kinshasa, and the excessive use of labour from other provinces over local hires in Ituri.

The strike threat comes just days after the start of clinical trials. WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus warned on Monday that "the next pandemic will not wait for us to be ready," citing the ongoing Ebola outbreak as proof that the threat "never truly goes away." The DRC's 17th Ebola outbreak was declared on May 15 after several unexplained deaths in mineral-rich but volatile Ituri, which is plagued by armed groups.