Ebola Outbreak Sparks Panic in Eastern DR Congo as Death Toll Rises

Mon Jun 01 2026 04:28:36 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)

Eastern Democratic Republic of Congo faces a severe Ebola outbreak, with rising death tolls and fears among the populace as health officials struggle to control the fast-spreading virus.

The eastern regions of the Democratic Republic of Congo are currently grappling with a troubling Ebola outbreak that has killed at least 136 people. Health officials warn that the virus may have been spreading undetected for weeks, and the response efforts face significant challenges amid ongoing conflict and inadequate healthcare resources. The new Bundibugyo strain of Ebola is complicating efforts to contain the disease as fear spreads among residents.

Fear has gripped Ebola-hit areas in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo as the suspected number of deaths continues to rise, as officials say they are struggling to catch up to an outbreak that may have previously been spreading undetected.

Ebola has tortured us, says a taxi rider in his late twenties in the gold-mining town of Rwampara.

I am scared because people are dying very fast... We are really afraid.

Following a visit to Ituri province, the epicentre of the outbreak, over the weekend, Congolese Health Minister Dr Samuel Roger Kamba acknowledged health teams are playing catch-up with the virus, which may have been circulating earlier than first detected on 24 April.

The presumed patient zero is a nurse who died in the provincial capital Bunia, but was buried in Mongwalu, also a gold-mining town. Most of the suspected cases and deaths have been reported there and in neighbouring Rwampara.

As of Tuesday, there were 514 suspected cases, with 136 people believed to have died from the virus, officials said. One person has also died in neighbouring Uganda. Cases have also been identified in Butembo city and rebel-controlled Goma in North Kivu province, as well as in South Kivu province.

Officials say that several deaths occurred in the community without being reported to the authorities, meaning they could not be investigated at the time. According to the health ministry, formal community alerts were only registered from 8 May.

The outbreak has been caused by the Bundibugyo strain of Ebola. DR Congo is currently facing its 17th outbreak of Ebola and is more familiar with the Zaïre species. Bundibugyo has caused only two outbreaks before - in 2007 and 2012 - where it killed around 30% of people infected.

Residents in Goma - eastern DR Congo's biggest city - report that basic public health measures, such as avoiding handshakes, limiting gatherings, and regular handwashing, are widely ignored, complicating containment efforts.

Save the Children has mentioned that the Ebola outbreak is a new massive crisis on top of an already difficult situation due to existing conflict and compromised healthcare systems in the region.