The Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) is currently grappling with the most lethal Ebola outbreak in its history. Three months after the official declaration, health authorities and international agencies have documented more than 4,900 confirmed cases and over 2,300 deaths. This toll has surpassed the 2,299 fatalities recorded during the 2018–2020 Zaire strain outbreak.
The current crisis is driven by the Bundibugyo virus disease (BVD), a rare Ebola strain first identified in Uganda in 2007. Unlike the Zaire strain, there are currently no licensed vaccines or specific approved therapies for BVD, forcing health workers to rely on early detection, supportive care, infection prevention, and community engagement to curb the spread.
Evidence suggests the virus was circulating well before the official May 15 declaration. Dr. Richard Lokudu, based in Bunia, noted that his team treated a patient at Mongbwalu General Hospital in Ituri Province on April 2, who was scheduled for surgery on April 7. “Almost a month later, we recorded the deaths of the surgical assistant, the anaesthetist, and a member of the post-operative care team,” Lokudu stated, highlighting how early, undetected transmission allowed the virus to gain a foothold.
Professor Pierre Akilimali, who leads the DRC’s response, acknowledged that initial delays in identifying cases contributed to the rapid spread. He noted that the lack of local laboratory capacity in the early stages hindered confirmation. “When we first started, we didn’t have any laboratories. Today, we have more than 12 laboratories here in Ituri Province,” he explained.
The response is severely complicated by the volatile environment in Ituri, a province marked by decades of armed conflict. Dr. Justus Nsio, the Africa CDC’s field incident manager, described the operational reality: “We are in a war zone, and the province is under a state of siege. We are making do with what we have to show our solidarity with the communities.”
Armed groups vying for control over mineral-rich territories have restricted movement and limited access to vulnerable populations. Dr. Charles Kashindi, head of Nyakunde Hospital, located nearly 40km southwest of Bunia, emphasized the instability: “When there are problems, particularly gunfire, nobody can hold their position.”
The World Health Organization (WHO) has identified the uncontrolled movement of people—particularly those already ill—between affected localities and neighboring areas as a primary driver of the virus’s geographic expansion. Dr. Thierno Balde, the WHO incident manager for BVD, noted that this mobility has made containment significantly more difficult.
For local residents, the epidemic is a source of profound fear and personal loss. Furaha Gisèle, a 35-year-old who lost her uncle to the virus in Rwampara, expressed the desperation felt by many: “Only God can spare us from this disaster. Coping with insecurity, poor governance, and poverty all at once is difficult, and I fear we will also suffer from this deadly epidemic.”
The Africa CDC remains actively involved, providing support through surveillance, laboratory operations, and patient care. Despite the DRC’s extensive experience with Ebola outbreaks dating back to 1976, officials admit that traditional containment strategies are being pushed to their limits by the combination of conflict, difficult terrain, and deep-seated community mistrust.
Health workers continue to operate under immense pressure, navigating a landscape where medical intervention is frequently interrupted by violence. The ongoing struggle to contain the BVD strain remains a race against both the biology of the virus and the persistent instability of the region. The report also notes that “Before the outbreak was declared, we discovered at the hospital that there was a patient who had been admitted on 2 April and who was due to undergo surgery performed by our team on 7 April,” Lokudu told Al Jazeera. The report also notes that “Only God can spare us from this disaster,” says Furaha Gisèle, 35, whose uncle died of Ebola in Rwampara, about 10km (6.2 miles) from Bunia, the capital of Ituri Province. The report also notes that health officials say transmission was already taking place before the outbreak was officially declared on May 15. The report also notes that but in Ituri, health workers say experience alone cannot overcome the challenges they face: conflict, difficult terrain, delayed detection, and mistrust among some communities. The report also notes that “As for Ituri, the situation is not very favourable. The report also notes that “When there are problems, particularly gunfire, nobody can hold their position,” says Dr Charles Kashindi, head of Nyakunde Hospital, nearly 40km (25 miles) southwest of Bunia.