TRENDING — Ebola cases in Congo surge past 900 as attacks and aid cuts deepen crisis
Ebola cases in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo surpass 900 as attacks on medical facilities and aid cuts deepen the crisis.
The Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) has recorded 904 suspected Ebola cases and 119 suspected deaths since the outbreak began, according to a Sunday statement from the Congolese Ministry of Communication . Health workers face escalating violence, with medical tents set ablaze in recent days, while international aid cuts compound the chaos left by years of conflict and weak local governance . The World Health Organization (WHO) classifies the outbreak as a *very high risk* for Congo but maintains that the global threat remains low .
Cross-border spread has already reached Uganda, where Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) reports that the outbreak likely went undetected for *weeks, if not months* before authorities raised the alarm . MSF’s project lead in Goma, Valeria Geppi, warns of critical shortages, including a lack of diagnostic tests, as teams scramble to set up isolation centers while battling other endemic diseases . The African Union’s health agency now lists ten countries beyond Congo and Uganda as high-risk for transmission .
In Uganda, Congolese refugees face growing stigma, with locals blaming them for importing the virus. Arthur Musomwa, a refugee in Kampala, describes being ostracized: *“Ugandans think we brought the virus here”* . Meanwhile, Portugal’s Travel Medicine Society has issued warnings for travelers to Uganda, urging contingency plans for those entering the region .
The U.S. response, led by former Trump administration COVID-19 coordinator Dr. Deborah Birx, signals confidence in the country’s preparedness despite vacancies in key public health roles. Birx asserts the U.S. has *“a deep bench”* of personnel ready to deploy, though she did not specify timelines or resources . No U.S. cases have been reported.
Hospitals in eastern Congo, already strained by years of underfunding, are struggling to keep pace with the virus’s rapid spread. The Wall Street Journal reports that overcrowded clinics and shortages of protective equipment are dimming hopes for swift containment . Al Jazeera’s footage from the region shows overwhelmed health workers and communities on edge, with distrust of authorities fueling resistance to containment measures .
This marks the DRC’s 18th Ebola outbreak since the virus was first identified in 1976. The current strain, Ebola Zaire, has a fatality rate of up to 90% in untreated cases. The 2014–2016 West Africa epidemic, the deadliest on record, killed over 11,000 people.
> Background: **TRENDING — Ebola death toll in DR Congo surges past 200 as regional alarm grows** — *9 hours ago*
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TRENDING — Ebola cases in Congo surge past 900 as attacks and aid cuts deepen crisis
Articles
SUA transmit un mesaj ferm după noul focar de Ebola: „Suntem pregătiți. Îndemnul unui oficial al administrației Trump Dr. Deborah Birx, fosta coordonatoare a eforturilor de combatere a Covid-19 din cadrul administrației președintelui Donald Trump, și-a exprimat duminică încrederea că Statele Unite ar putea răspunde eficient la actualul focar de Ebola din Africa, în ciuda faptului că există posturi vacante în funcții-cheie din domeniul sănătății publice. Ea a declarat că țara dispune de „o rezervă solidă de personal chiar și în cadrul agențiilor federale care nu au încă un șef confirmat, anunță Politico.
digi24 · 4 days ago
Aantal vermoedelijke besmettingen met Ebola blijft toenemen, medische tenten in brand gezet in Congo De Congolese autoriteiten vermoeden dat er inmiddels 170 mensen zijn overleden aan het virus. De Gezondheidsdienst van de Afrikaanse Unie denkt dat tien andere landen dan Congo en Oeganda risico lopen op besmettingen.
nrc · 4 days ago
Ébola: com RD Congo em alerta, Medicina do Viajante avisa quem viaja para o Uganda A Sociedade Portuguesa de Medicina do Viajante alerta que viajar para o Uganda, país vizinho da República Democrática do Congo, não deve ser feito sem uma estratégia de contingência.
publico · 4 days ago
US well-positioned to deal with current Ebola outbreak, Deborah Birx says She said the country has "a deep bench" even in federal agencies without a confirmed leader.
politico.eu · 4 days ago
Ebola spreads in the DRC as authorities struggle to contain outbreak The Ebola outbreak in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo is spreading as cases been confirmed in Uganda.
aljazeera · 4 days ago
Number of suspected Ebola cases in DR Congo passes 900 as health workers face attacks and shortages World Health Organization says outbreak poses very high risk for Congo, but risk of disease spreading globally remains lowCongolese authorities say that suspected Ebola cases have now passed 900 in the ongoing outbreak in the east of the country.The Congolese ministry of communication, in a post on X on Sunday, said there were 904 suspected cases and 119 suspected deaths. Continue reading...
theguardian · 4 days ago
Suspected Ebola cases in eastern DR Congo pass 900 as health workers struggle with aid cuts As the number of suspected Ebola cases in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo pass 900, health workers say that the chaos left by years of fighting and local government failures has been compounded by sweeping cuts to international aid budgets.
france24 · 4 days ago
Skräck för ebola ökar pressen på flyktingar i Uganda KAMPALA. I Kampalas förorter möts kongolesen Arthur Musomwa med misstänksamhet och avkrävs förklaringar. Ebolautbrottet i hemlandet har lett till att han och andra som flytt till Uganda blivit utfrysta. – Ugandierna tror att vi tagit viruset hit, säger Arthur Musomwa som levt som flykting i 16 år.
dagens nyheter · 4 days ago
Contro Ebola ci mancano i test. La testimonianza di Msf da Goma. Bruciate due tende per i malati Valeria Geppi, capo progetto di Medici Senza Frontiere nella Repubblica Democratica del Congo: Lallarme per lepidemia è scattato quando cerano già decine di casi. Stiamo allestendo centri di isolamento, ma abbiamo così tante altre malattie da curare
corriere · 4 days ago
Doctors, Hospitals Struggle to Keep Up With Ebolas Spread The fast-spreading virus is overwhelming creaking hospitals and clinics in Democratic Republic of Congo, dimming hopes for quick containment of what is already the third-largest outbreak of the killer disease.
wsj · 4 days ago
Climate change increases risks of cancer, heat stress, infectious diseases Climate change is increasing the risk of cancer, heat stress, and infectious diseases due to rising exposure to heat, UV radiation, summer smog, and pollen, according to new advice from the Dutch H
nltimes.nl · 4 days ago
På plats i ebolautbrottet: Riskerar att spridas Ebolautbrottet i Kongo-Kinshasa växer.Spridningen av det dödliga viruset har sannolikt pågått under radarn en längre tid.– Minst veckor, troligen månader, säger Esther Sterk, som är på plats i Kongo-Kinshasa för Läkare utan gränser, till TT.
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