Congolese authorities have reported that suspected Ebola cases have now surpassed 900 in the ongoing outbreak in the eastern part of the country. The Congolese ministry of communication announced on Sunday that there were 904 suspected cases and 119 suspected deaths. Previously, authorities had reported over 700 suspected cases and more than 170 suspected deaths, primarily in Ituri province, which remains the epicenter of the outbreak.
Global Health Emergency Declared
The World Health Organization has stated that the outbreak poses a 'very high' risk for the Democratic Republic of Congo, but the risk of the disease spreading globally remains low. Health authorities in the country are confronting serious challenges as they attempt to curb the outbreak, which has been designated a global health emergency. Arson attacks on Ebola treatment centers in the eastern region have occurred, with two centers hit last week. These attacks highlight the anger in a region plagued by violence from armed rebel groups, large-scale displacement, local government failures, and international aid cuts that experts say have stripped health facilities in vulnerable communities.
Community Anger and Burial Protocols
Colin Thomas-Jensen, director of impact at the Aurora Humanitarian Initiative, noted that the attacks may reflect the 'built-in skepticism and anger' of people in eastern Congo over how the region has been treated, including years of violence from foreign-linked rebel groups and the failure of their government and international peacekeepers to protect them. Another source of tension is the strict protocols surrounding the burial of suspected Ebola victims. Authorities are taking charge of burials wherever possible to prevent further spread of the disease, but this has led to conflicts with families who traditionally prepare bodies and hold funeral gatherings.
The first burning of an Ebola center in Rwampara was carried out by a group of young men attempting to retrieve a friend's body, according to witnesses and police. The crowd accused the foreign aid group operating there of lying about Ebola. In response, authorities in north-eastern Congo have banned funeral wakes and gatherings of more than 50 people, and armed soldiers and police are now guarding some burials conducted by aid workers.
Insecurity and Displacement
Eastern Congo has experienced years of attacks by numerous rebel and militant groups, some with ties to foreign countries or the extremist Islamic State group. The Rwanda-backed M23 rebels control parts of the region, and while the Congolese government still largely controls Ituri province, its hold is tenuous. The Allied Democratic Forces, a Ugandan Islamist group linked to Islamic State, is a dominant rebel group there and is responsible for violent attacks against civilian targets. Before the outbreak, Doctors Without Borders reported that insecurity in Ituri had worsened, causing doctors and nurses to flee and leaving overwhelmed health facilities with 'catastrophic conditions' in some areas. The UN humanitarian office estimates that nearly 1 million people have been displaced from their homes by conflict in Ituri.
Challenges for Aid Agencies
Gabriela Arenas, a regional coordinator at the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, stated that the Ebola outbreak is 'unfolding in communities already facing insecurity, displacement and fragile healthcare systems.' There are concerns that the disease could spread to large displacement camps near the city of Bunia, where the first cases were reported. Health experts say that international aid cuts last year by the US and other wealthy nations were devastating for eastern Congo due to its multiple problems. These cuts 'reduced the capacity to detect and respond to infectious disease outbreaks,' according to Thomas McHale, public health director at Physicians for Human Rights. Congo has experienced more than a dozen previous Ebola outbreaks.
Aid groups on the ground report a lack of essential equipment, such as face shields, protective suits for health workers, testing kits, body bags, and other materials needed for safe burials. 'We have made requests to different partners, but we have not yet really received anything,' said Julienne Lusenge, president of Women's Solidarity for Inclusive Peace and Development, an aid group operating a small hospital near Bunia. 'We only have hand sanitiser and a few masks for the nurses,' she added. The Bundibugyo type of Ebola virus responsible for the outbreak has no approved vaccine or treatment.
