Congo Ebola outbreak claims nearly half of infected as cases cross 11,000

File photo: A healthcare worker walks inside an Ebola treatment center in Beni, North Kivu Province, Congo

Six months after an Ebola outbreak was declared in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), the disease continues to spread, with more than 11,000 cases recorded and nearly half of those infected dying, according to government data.The outbreak is the deadliest among the 17 recorded in Congo and is on track to exceed the death toll of the West African Ebola epidemic, which killed around 11,000 people between 2014 and 2016.Efforts to contain the virus have struggled, with basic public health measures such as contact tracing and isolation remaining inadequate. Experts cited by the news agency Associated Press (AP) said there was little chance of bringing the outbreak under control within the next year.By the time the outbreak was officially announced in mid-May, 43 deaths had already been recorded, indicating that the virus had been circulating undetected for an extended period. It has since spread to eight of Congo's 26 provinces, with new hotspots continuing to emerge and putting further pressure on an already strained healthcare system.

Gaps in surveillance and response funding

Community transmission remains high, with 80% of new Ebola cases being detected outside health surveillance systems, according to the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC).

This means most infections have not been identified through official monitoring.Around one-third of deaths occur at home or elsewhere in communities, where burials and other procedures often take place without specialist supervision, increasing the risk of further transmission.The response has also been affected by repeated strikes by health workers over months of unpaid salaries. These stoppages have at times left patients with confirmed infections without treatment.Concerns have also been raised about the management of funds allocated to the response.Last month, the Africa CDC questioned the status of more than $700 million in Ebola aid that remains unaccounted for.Humanitarian organisation Doctors Without Borders, also known by its French acronym MSF, said there was a gap between the resources mobilised and the assistance reaching people affected by the outbreak.“A troubling disconnect between the considerable resources mobilised for the response and what is actually reaching patients, frontline workers, and communities continues,” the organisation said.

Children account for a significant share of deaths

Children have been particularly vulnerable to the outbreak, especially those with pre-existing conditions such as malnutrition.Experts have said that most children affected by Ebola have not received specialised care, contributing to high death rates.According to Unicef data, children accounted for 35% of deaths recorded through November 4. Those under the age of five represented 21% of all deaths, while nearly 72% of infected children in that age group died.

Conflict and attacks complicate containment efforts

Health workers have faced additional challenges in implementing prevention and containment measures, which sometimes conflict with local social and cultural practices.

Since the outbreak began, health workers have been attacked, with some killed. Health facilities have also come under attack, further complicating efforts to respond to the disease.The outbreak has been concentrated in eastern Congo, particularly in Ituri and North Kivu, regions already affected by armed conflict.

Fighting between government forces and hundreds of rebel groups, including the Rwanda-backed M23, has contributed to a severe humanitarian crisis.The Allied Democratic Forces, an Islamic State-affiliated rebel group, has also continued to attack civilians in the region.The spread of Ebola has raised concerns about transmission beyond Congo. Nigeria, Kenya and Uganda have confirmed cases, making the current outbreak the most geographically widespread Ebola outbreak on record.