The Ebola epidemic in the Democratic Republic of Congo has now claimed more than 2,000 lives, according to figures released by Congolese health authorities on Tuesday. The official count stands at 2,011 deaths from 4,381 confirmed infections, putting the current outbreak close to the country's deadliest on record, which occurred between 2018 and 2020 and killed nearly 2,300 people.
The outbreak, which was formally declared on 15 May, is believed to have been spreading for several weeks before that. It has hit the eastern and northeastern provinces, regions already destabilised by armed conflict and displacement. This is the DRC's seventeenth Ebola outbreak, and it is already the largest in the country's history. Sania Nishtar, chief executive of the Gavi vaccine alliance, warned that it "could well become the largest outbreak ever."
Congolese health officials estimate the case fatality rate at 45.9 percent, meaning nearly half of those confirmed infected have died. Aid workers on the ground say the response, which has been expanding across five affected provinces, is struggling to keep pace with the virus's spread.
Health workers strike over unpaid wages
A significant obstacle to containing the epidemic is the strike by many health workers, who have protested the lack of payment for their work since the outbreak was declared. Their absence has hampered contact tracing, vaccination campaigns, and the treatment of the sick, further complicating an already difficult situation.
The current strain is the rarer Bundibugyo type, for which no specific vaccine exists. However, on Friday, experts from the World Health Organisation (WHO) recommended a full-scale human trial of the only approved Ebola vaccine, Ervebo, to determine whether it offers cross-protection against this strain. Ervebo has proven safe and effective against the more common Zaire strain, and early data from animal studies suggest it may also provide some immunity against Bundibugyo.
Two potential Bundibugyo vaccines are already in early-stage human trials, and a third is being developed to reach that stage. The WHO's recommendation could accelerate the deployment of Ervebo as an interim measure while these targeted vaccines are tested.
The first Ebola virus ever identified was discovered in 1976 near the Ebola River in what is now the DRC. The current outbreak, however, is unfolding in a far more complex environment, with active conflict, community mistrust, and logistical challenges hampering the international response.
As the death toll climbs, the WHO has urged more aid to prevent the outbreak from spiralling further out of control. The agency has warned that the virus is spreading beyond the capacity of current response teams.
For Europe, the outbreak serves as a reminder of the interconnected nature of global health security. While the risk of spread to European shores remains low, the continent has a vested interest in supporting containment efforts, not least because of the presence of European nationals working in the region and the potential for the virus to reach other African countries with closer ties to Europe.
The DRC's health system, already fragile, is being pushed to its limits. The international community, including European governments and the EU, has pledged support, but the gap between pledges and on-the-ground reality remains wide. As one aid worker put it, "We are running to stand still."
