The Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) is facing its fastest growing Ebola outbreak on record, with 1,759 cases and 600 deaths reported as of 8 July, according to government data. The virus has also spread to Uganda, where 20 confirmed cases and two deaths have been recorded. The outbreak is caused by the rare Bundibugyo variant, which has no approved treatment or vaccine.
Conflict and displacement complicate containment
The outbreak was first reported in May in Ituri province, which is at the centre of a long-running conflict between militias vying for control of mineral resources. It has since spread to North Kivu and South Kivu, regions also plagued by armed conflict. The Congolese army and allied militia are fighting the M23 rebel coalition in these areas, with the government and rebels controlling different parts of the provinces.
Ladd Serwat, a senior analyst at the Acled conflict monitoring group, said armed groups have complicated humanitarian access, particularly where communities are perceived to be aligned with rival ethnic groups. He noted that while health workers can travel through the provinces, the administrations make it difficult to coordinate the medical response and share information. The overlap between militant activity, population displacement, and weak state control could significantly complicate efforts to contain the outbreak.
An assessment by the International Organisation for Migration earlier this year found that 3.3 million displaced people live in Ituri, North Kivu, and South Kivu, with South Kivu hosting 1.2 million alone.
Aid cuts weaken health systems
Humanitarian funding for the DRC declined sharply in 2025, largely due to the Trump administration freezing foreign aid assistance to programmes funded through the state department. Carla Martinez, the DRC head at the UN’s Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, said the reduction forced more than 10 humanitarian organisations to reduce or suspend activities, weakening local health systems and surveillance networks.
“The Ebola outbreak is a stark reminder that when humanitarian systems are underfunded, they become more vulnerable to new emergencies,” Martinez said. “Without additional resources, both the public health response and broader humanitarian operations will come under increasing strain, with potentially serious consequences for the DRC and the wider region.”
Attacks on healthcare workers fueled by misinformation
Healthcare workers and treatment centres have come under attack during the current outbreak and past ones in Ituri, North Kivu, and South Kivu. Incidents include violence, riots, and property damage, disrupting essential services. During the current outbreak, 10 Red Cross volunteers have been attacked, with four sustaining injuries, said Alex Lock, a spokesperson for the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies.
Lock noted that most incidents occurred during safe burials conducted by Red Cross volunteers, caused by mistrust fuelled by rumours and misinformation about the disease. In one incident last month, four volunteers were injured during a burial, including two who were severely hurt and had to be airlifted to Kinshasa for treatment.
Misinformation and distrust of health responders have been fuelled by decades-long unrest and outside interference in eastern DRC. Lock said the attacks force them to halt or postpone critical response activities, disrupting containment efforts and putting community members at greater risk. “An immobilised colleague means a direct reduction in response capacity,” he said. “This hinders our operational effectiveness and benefits no one, neither the community in need nor those of us working tirelessly to support them in containing and eradicating the virus.”
Worst-case scenario looms
Wessam Mankoula, head of emergency preparedness and response for the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention, told reporters on Thursday that the outbreak is the fastest growing ever, not only of previous Bundibugyo outbreaks but of all Ebola viruses. The Congolese health ministry said suspected cases have now been recorded in the provinces of Tshopo and Haut-Uélé, indicating continued spread beyond the centre in Ituri. Experts warn the outbreak could become the deadliest on record if factors like conflict, aid cuts, and attacks on healthcare workers are not addressed.
