Ebola outbreak in DRC becomes worst ever with over 1,500 deaths

The Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo has become the worst the country has ever experienced, with the death toll passing 1,500. The World Health Organization described the situation as stark, as containment efforts remain far from effective and the death rate stands at over 40 percent.

The epicentre of the outbreak is Bunia, the capital of Ituri province, which accounts for 90 percent of confirmed cases. Inside a treatment centre, 19 patients are all positive for Ebola. Red Cross volunteers are going door to door to explain how the virus spreads, but the disease went undetected for several months. This is the 17th Ebola outbreak the DRC has faced, and the current one is the most severe.

Salome Ntuba, head of global humanitarian response at Christian Aid, said the health system in the region had collapsed long before Ebola arrived. People are used to paying for their own medicine and do not trust free treatment offers. The outbreak is compounded by ongoing armed conflict between government forces and Rwanda-backed M23 rebels, which has intensified despite a peace deal. People are constantly on the move, seeking safety. Hunger is also a major concern: 10 million people in eastern DRC already face food shortages, and Ituri province is particularly badly affected.

US aid cuts under Donald Trump have drawn widespread condemnation, and experts say they have directly worsened the Ebola crisis. Ntuba noted that the little funding available cannot support the whole system, including ambulances and equipment. In contrast, China has sent its third medical delegation to the region, an effort seen as an assertion of soft power at a time of shifting public health leadership.

There is some positive news from Uganda, which has not recorded a new Ebola case for a month. Scientists in the UK have also started a trial of an Ebola vaccine, though these developments are not yet being felt in the DRC where they are most needed.