The Democratic Republic of the Congo’s Ebola outbreak has recorded 4,018 deaths among 8,300 confirmed cases, according to Health Ministry figures reported by the Associated Press. The outbreak, announced on May 15, is caused by the rare Bundibugyo virus, for which there is no known treatment or vaccine.
The World Health Organization has warned that the virus is spreading rapidly into new health zones, placing further strain on limited resources. Africa CDC said the number of newly confirmed cases was falling, but cautioned that insecurity and difficulties securing community co-operation could account for the decline.
Efforts to contain the outbreak have also been hampered by unpaid wages for frontline workers. Health workers in Bunia, the capital of northeastern Ituri province, protested over months of unpaid wages, with some holding signs reading “No money, no data!” and “No payment for months.” Workers have gone on strike several times since the outbreak began.
A senior United Nations official said an Ebola-hit camp containing a patient transit centre was burned by soldiers searching for weapons in Kigonze, on the outskirts of Bunia. The fire reportedly forced 19,000 people to flee and destroyed a key facility for patients requiring treatment. An aid worker with Médecins Sans Frontières was also infected and flown to the Netherlands for treatment, according to statements cited by the Associated Press.
More than 50 health workers have died after contracting the virus. The outbreak has been further complicated by attacks and widespread mistrust of health workers and authorities. A local official, Marie-Celestin Karondwa, was beaten to death at his home in Butembo after defending government measures, the Associated Press reported. Authorities’ village-centred response has faced resistance from some residents who dismiss Ebola as a hoax, amid broader distrust of the government.
