The World Health Organization has warned that the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo is outpacing response efforts, placing neighboring countries at high risk. Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General, stated during an African Union online meeting that the epidemic is currently outpacing operational scaling. He reported 220 suspected deaths so far and announced his travel to the DRC on Tuesday with Dr. Chikwe Ihekweazu, executive director of WHO's health emergencies programme.
Attacks on Health Facilities Hinder Response
The warning came as attacks by residents on health facilities in Ituri province, the outbreak's epicenter, impeded response efforts. On Saturday and Sunday, unidentified individuals attacked the Mongbwalu general referral hospital, burning tents erected by Médecins Sans Frontières and causing 18 Ebola patients to flee. Dr. Richard Lokodu, medical director, reported four waves of attacks on Sunday, instigated by relatives of a religious leader who died of Ebola. Seven additional patients escaped, and police and soldiers restored order. A suspected patient in critical condition died while fleeing during the second attack.
Perpetrators demanded the release of Ebola victims' bodies for burial. In a similar incident on Thursday, a crowd set fire to a treatment center in Rwampara after authorities refused to release a victim's body. Safe burials are crucial for containment, but some families prefer traditional practices involving washing and touching the body, which have previously driven disease spread.
Outbreak Status and Challenges
Earlier this month, Tedros declared the outbreak a public health emergency of international concern after over 300 suspected cases and 88 deaths in the DRC, plus two deaths in Uganda. On Monday, Uganda reported two more cases among health workers in Kampala, bringing the total to seven. The outbreak is caused by the rare Bundibugyo ebolavirus, with no approved treatment or vaccine.
Hotspots include Rwampara, Mongbwalu, Nyankunde, and Bunia in Ituri province, a commercial and migration hub where conflict between Hema and Lendu militias has killed over 50,000 since 1999. Cases have also been reported in Butembo, rebel-controlled Goma, and Bukavu. Tedros noted that insecurity in Ituri and North Kivu, along with the lack of an approved vaccine, complicates containment.
