One hundred days into the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), the response is still struggling to keep pace as the virus overwhelms the systems trying to contain it. The death toll has accelerated sharply in recent weeks, with roughly half of the more than 2,500 deaths recorded in the past 20 days. It is the deadliest ever outbreak in the DRC, as well as the fastest growing anywhere, with more than 5,000 confirmed infections in just over three months.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) believes the virus may have been spreading undetected for weeks before the outbreak was officially declared on 15 May, possibly as far back as February. The rapid spread of the virus has been fueled by a combination of factors, including conflict, displacement, weak health infrastructure, and abrupt cuts to global aid. The response efforts have been hampered by these challenges, with the United Nations’ Senior Ebola Coordinator Julien Harneis warning that funding will run out soon.
International pledges to help the response have exceeded the amount requested, but less than half of the money has actually been disbursed. The outbreak has also had a disproportionate impact on women, who account for 53% of all reported cases. Women’s roles as primary caregivers for sick family members, their involvement in traditional burial preparations, and their representation among frontline healthcare workers have all contributed to this disparity.
The outbreak threatens the estimated 63,700 pregnant women living in affected areas, who already face significant maternal health risks. The consequences of the outbreak are now spreading to food and livelihoods, with delayed payments leaving some frontline workers unpaid and causing widespread strikes. The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) has warned that violence and armed conflict have forced many families to abandon fields, reducing food production and limiting the availability of food on the market.
The WHO has also warned that the vaccine is not the solution to everything and that community outreach is the main tool to contain the outbreak. The outbreak cannot be treated as a standalone medical emergency, according to the Danish Refugee Council. In active conflict zones, traditional health measures simply fall apart, and the world must not look away.
The response efforts need extra support now, and every delay in funding and implementation makes this epidemic more deadly, more difficult to stop, and more expensive. Case numbers are now rising rapidly beyond the epicentre of Ituri province, with North Kivu province experiencing particularly high levels of mortality and mistrust in the response. The outbreak has left almost two children a day orphaned, with at least 180 children who have lost both parents or primary caregivers.
They face increased risks of trafficking, exploitation, violence, forced recruitment by armed groups, and severe psychological distress. The restrictions on cross-border trade introduced as part of preventive measures for Ebola have added to the pressures on food production and availability. The outbreak has also had a significant impact on the health system, with more than 160 healthcare workers contracting Ebola and 43 dying.
Isolation centres and other health facilities have increasingly become targets amid widespread misinformation, with more than 260 attacks on health workers reported in the past six months, and eight killed. The brutal operating conditions continue to impede the progress of frontline workers, and the world must act now to contain the outbreak.
