How Ebola became the deadliest outbreak in DR Congo’s history | News
Ebola Outbreak in DRC Raises Alarms as Death Toll Surpasses Previous Records
BUNIA, Democratic Republic of the Congo — Dr. Richard Lokudu’s suspicions grew as three members of his surgical team succumbed to illness shortly after treating the same patient. The patient was admitted to Mongbwalu General Hospital on April 2 for a scheduled surgery, occurring just days before the official declaration of an Ebola outbreak in the region.
“Before the outbreak was declared, we discovered there was a patient admitted on April 2 who was due for surgery on April 7,” Lokudu recounted in an interview with Al Jazeera. The subsequent deaths of a surgical assistant, an anesthetist, and a member of the post-operative care team would later be among the first indicators of a severe Ebola outbreak that has since escalated to the deadliest in the nation’s history.
As of today, more than 4,900 confirmed Ebola cases have been reported, resulting in over 2,300 deaths since authorities announced the outbreak on May 15. This toll has surpassed the previous record of 2,299 fatalities recorded during the 2018-2020 outbreak caused by the Zaire strain of the virus.
The current outbreak is attributed to Bundibugyo virus disease (BVD), a rare form of Ebola first identified in Uganda in 2007. Unlike the Zaire strain, which has available vaccines and treatments, there are no licensed vaccines or specific approved therapies for BVD. Health professionals are currently relying on early detection, supportive care, stringent infection prevention measures, and community engagement to curb the spread of the virus.
The World Health Organization (WHO) confirmed that the outbreak was initially identified in Ituri Province, with subsequent spread to surrounding areas. Challenges such as armed conflict, population mobility, and delays in case identification have significantly hindered containment efforts.
For residents in the affected areas, the statistics translate into personal loss. Furaha Gisèle, a 35-year-old from Rwampara, approximately 10 kilometers from Bunia, expressed her fears about the epidemic’s toll on her community, stating, “Only God can spare us from this disaster.” She cited the overlapping difficulties of insecurity, poor governance, and poverty.
Health officials indicated that Ebola transmission was already underway prior to the formal outbreak declaration. By the time authorities confirmed the virus’s presence, it had infiltrated local communities, complicating response efforts.
The WHO noted that the outbreak initially concentrated in the Mongbwalu Health Zone but quickly spread beyond Ituri Province.
Response Efforts Amid Ongoing Challenges
Since the outbreak began, the DRC has experienced multiple instances of Ebola, gaining extensive experience in managing the disease. However, health workers in Ituri highlight that local conflicts, challenging terrain, and delayed case detection have severely hampered their efforts.
Congolese authorities acknowledged that slow case identification contributed to the virus’s spread. Professor Pierre Akilimali, head of the DRC’s Ebola response, confirmed that laboratory capacity in Ituri has expanded significantly since the outbreak emerged. “When we first started, we didn’t have any laboratories. Today, we have more than 12 laboratories here in Ituri Province,” he said.
However, reliance on facilities outside the province initially slowed confirmation of cases during the critical early stages of the outbreak.
The situation is further complicated by the province’s long-standing struggles with armed conflict. Rival groups vie for control over resource-rich regions, impeding access to affected communities. Dr. Justus Nsio, the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention’s field incident manager for the DRC’s Ebola response, described Ituri as a challenging environment marked by violence and a state of siege.
“To show our solidarity with the communities, we are making do with what we have,” he stated.
Dr. Thierno Balde, WHO incident manager for Bundibugyo virus disease in the DRC, observed that unrestricted movement among affected populations has facilitated the virus’s spread. “The geographical spread of the outbreak is mainly linked to the uncontrolled movement of people, particularly those who are ill,” he said.
For health workers in the region, combating the Ebola outbreak poses not only a medical challenge but also a struggle against ongoing conflict and accessibility issues. Dr. Charles Kashindi, head of Nyakunde Hospital, emphasized the urgency of the situation. “When there are problems, particularly gunfire, nobody can hold their position,” he said.
