Three Red Cross volunteers don die for Democratic Republic of Congo from suspected Ebola, wey dem likely catch while dey manage dead bodies. The organisation tok say dem believe the volunteers contract Ebola on 27 March while dey work for eastern region of Ituri on project wey no relate to virus, before outbreak identify.
The volunteers be among first known victims of DR Congo Ebola outbreak, wey don cause more than 170 suspected deaths and 750 suspected cases. The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) say dem die after serving dem communities with courage and humanity.
Alikana Udumusi Augustin, Sezabo Katanabo and Ajiko Chandiru Viviane don dey work for town of Mongwalu, wey now be epicentre of outbreak. Dem die between 5 and 16 May. Health experts warn say body of Ebola patients fit spread virus because bodily fluids remain highly infectious after death.
Outbreak involve rare species of Ebola, wey dem call Bundibugyo, wey no get proven vaccine and dey kill about one-third of wey infect. On Friday, World Health Organization (WHO) raise public health risk from virus for DR Congo from high to very high. WHO chief Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus also say risk for wider region for Africa be high but remain low globally.
Country neighbour Uganda confirm three new cases on Saturday, wey bring total infections to five, while African Centres for Disease Control warn 10 other countries for continent dey at risk from outbreak. Dem name Angola, Burundi, Central African Republic, Republic of Congo, Ethiopia, Kenya, Rwanda, South Sudan, Tanzania and Zambia.
Meanwhile, DR Congo suspend all commercial and private flights to and from Bunia – provincial capital of Ituri, where most cases and deaths don report – to curb cross-border spread. Humanitarian, medical or emergency flights go only get authorisation after special approval from aviation and health authorities, country transport ministry tok for statement.
Elsewhere for province, Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) say tent wey dem provide to aid Ebola response for Mongwalu don burn on Friday. E come one day after angry crowd for other part of Ituri set alight part of hospital after family and friends of young man wey dem think die from virus dem prevent from take im body away for burial.
MSF say for statement: Understandably, there still many uncertainties and fears among community for this rapidly evolving context. This incident highlight just how critical sustained community engagement and trust building be. Along with Ituri, cases don detect for North and South Kivu regions. Parts of two eastern areas dey under control of rebel group M23, wey clashes with government forces don bring additional difficulties for dealing with virus.
New strain of virus, aid cuts, and cultural norms around burials and touch dey add to difficulties for stemming outbreak. Warnings from aid groups and healthcare workers for Democratic Republic of Congo don be stark, dem calls for coordinated international action impassioned. As country reel from return of Ebola virus, there dey growing concern say im fragile healthcare system go struggle to cope with outbreak wey experts say go well beyond number of confirmed cases.
Rose Tchwenko, DRC country director at NGO Mercy Corps, say the speed at which this Ebola outbreak dey spread deep dey worry. Hama Amado, field coordinator for city of Bunia for Alima aid group, say virus dey gain momentum and dey spread for many areas. E say everyone must mobilise, we still far from say situation dey under control.
E don be one week since DRC report im 17th outbreak of Ebola, viral disease with mortality rate between 25% and 90% wey spread through body fluids or contaminated materials and dey cause organ damage, blood vessel impairment and sometimes severe internal and external bleeding. Nearly 750 suspected cases and 177 suspected deaths don record since first known victim die for Bunia, capital of Ituri province for north-western DRC, on 24 April. Mourners touch am during funeral for nearby town of Mongbwalu, wey contribute to spread of virus.
Hospitals and other healthcare facilities don quickly become overwhelmed. Trish Newport, emergency programme manager at Médecins Sans Frontières, say team don identify suspected cases over weekend at Bunia Salama hospital but find no available isolation ward for area. Every health facility dem call say dem full of suspect cases, dem no get space. This give you vision of how crazy e be right now.
Several factors dey impede aid response, including strain of virus wey no get approved treatment or vaccine; remote and conflict-scarred location of outbreak; and local funeral customs wey dey at odds with strict disease-control practice. All this set against backdrop of big shortfalls for aid budgets, wey mainly driven by Trump administration cuts to foreign aid. According to study by International Committee of Red Cross (ICRC) this year, more than half of health facilities survey for North and South Kivu provinces – where cases don also report – don damage or destroy, and nearly half don report significant staff departures since January 2025 because of conflict and insecurity.
Two incidents this week lay bare some aggravating factors. On Tuesday, at least 17 people die for attack by Allied Democratic Forces, militant group wey dey operate for eastern DRC and parts of Uganda, on several villages near town of Mambasa for Ituri. Zawadi Jeanne, woman from town wey lose im brother and uncle for ADF attack last month, say dem dey face double war: one of weapons and another of disease outbreak.
On Thursday, crowd set fire to treatment centre for Rwampara, near Bunia, after authorities refuse to give dem body of victim wey dem want bury themselves. Burial of bodies, wey fit be highly contagious, dey handle by authorities for containment of disease, but some families prefer traditional burials wey involve washing and touching body. For previous outbreaks this don prove to be key driver of disease spread.
Batakura Zamundu Mugeni, customary chief wey dey scene for Rwampara, tell Agence France-Presse say authorities dey work with health officials to track down any patients wey fit flee, as well as contact cases. E blame unrest on young people wey no grasp reality of disease. On Friday, province ban funeral wakes and say burials must conduct only by specialised teams. E also prohibit transport of dead bodies by non-medical vehicles and limit public gatherings to maximum of 50 people.
Instructions to avoid physical contact more generally dey hamper by strong culture of expressing affection through touch. Jackson Lubula, wey live for Bunia, say dem live for society where shaking hands dey on menu every day. With this disease, anything possible. Small mistake fit cost you dearly, so e decide to wash im hands with soap every time after each greeting.
Reports from across affected areas dey add to impression say virus don dey spread unnoticed. Rapid needs assessment by ActionAid for Bunia, Nizi and Nyankunde areas find nearly one-third of schools don register at least one suspected Ebola case or close contact. On Saturday, Red Cross say three of im volunteers wey die this month dem believe don contract virus as long ago as 27 March while dey carry out dead body management as part of unrelated humanitarian mission.
People for Rwampara say disease strike suddenly, and early symptoms dem mistake for illnesses like malaria. Botwine Swanze, wey son die, tell reporter for Associated Press say im son tell am say im heart dey pain. Then e start cry because of pain. Then e start bleed and vomit plenty. Dr Núria Carrera Graño, clinician with ICRC wey don provide services for two previous Ebola outbreaks, describe situation for DRC as humanitarian, political and security crisis wey result from cumulative and unfortunate events. E say responders must learn from past outbreaks about importance of international cooperation and coordination. We no get time to lose.
To control outbreak, DRC government dey work with medics including those wey get experience for handling disease. Dr Richard Kojan, intensive care clinician with Alima wey don provide services for several Ebola outbreaks, say there many similarities between dem, such as late discovery, insufficient resources to respond, and lack of vaccine at outset. E say outbreak dey out of control from Kinshasa, DRC capital, this week.
For absence of vaccine and approved treatment for Bundibugyo strain of virus, Kojan say medics dey work to optimise standard of intensive care for patients and put in place surveillance and contact tracing for suspected cases. If dem admit to treatment centre early, viral load go be low for dem samples, and then, with optimised care, dem go get high probability of surviving. Alima team dey also deploy portable treatment unit wey dem call Cube, transparent plastic structure wey allow interaction between patients and dem relatives and medics without need to wear personal protective equipment. Kojan develop concept after im experience with Ebola for 2014-16 outbreak.
As virus dey spread, increasing numbers of people for Bunia dey discover friends and relatives don fall victim, wey dey fuel dem anxiety. Jeanne, wey get nephew for health facility for Rwampara, say mere thought of name Ebola dey scare am. But she remain optimistic. God be the one wey know wetin dey ahead. E tell imself say disease go spread but not to alarming level. Dem fit just hope for best.
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