The Ebola outbreak in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo is spreading faster than health authorities can contain it, with most new infections emerging from unknown chains of transmission, the World Health Organization’s emergencies chief said on Tuesday.
After returning from Bunia, the epicenter of the outbreak in Ituri province, WHO Emergencies Director Chikwe Ihekweazu said many victims were dying in their communities before receiving medical care, underscoring the scale of undetected transmission.
“Perhaps the most alarming finding is that many of the newly reported deaths are people who died in their communities without ever reaching a health facility and without receiving care,” Ihekweazu told reporters in Geneva.
He said about 80% of newly confirmed cases were not on existing contact-tracing lists, indicating the virus was spreading through previously unidentified transmission chains.
The Democratic Republic of Congo has been battling an outbreak of the rare Bundibugyo strain of Ebola since May. Unlike the more common Zaire strain, there is currently no approved vaccine or treatment for the virus.
Congolese authorities reported on Monday that the outbreak had infected at least 1,926 people and killed 702 across three eastern provinces. Cases have also been confirmed in neighboring Uganda.
The Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention last week described it as the fastest-growing Ebola outbreak on the continent.
Ihekweazu said his visit to Bunia highlighted both progress and persistent challenges. Treatment capacity has expanded to nearly 800 beds, while laboratory capacity has increased from one to 14 laboratories, improving the ability to diagnose infections.
“Despite our best efforts, we have not caught up in the race,” he said.
The response has been hampered by funding shortages, insecurity linked to the conflict in eastern Congo, attacks on health facilities and mistrust among local communities.
On Monday, dozens of workers at an Ebola treatment center in northeastern Congo went on strike over unpaid salaries and bonuses, further disrupting response efforts.
The outbreak was officially declared on May 15 after the virus had spread undetected for weeks, according to the WHO.
Last week, researchers launched clinical trials of experimental treatments for the Bundibugyo strain, offering hope for new tools to combat an outbreak for which no licensed vaccine or treatment currently exists.
