WHO Warns DR Congo Ebola Outbreak Could Be Up to Four Times Higher Than Reported Cases

The true scale of the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) is likely between two and four times higher than the official case count, a senior World Health Organization (WHO) official has warned.

The WHO has confirmed at least 1,963 cases and recorded at least 719 deaths since the epidemic was declared. Chikwe Ihekweazu, Executive Director of the WHO's Health Emergencies Programme, told reporters in Geneva on Tuesday that modelling suggests the outbreak is significantly larger than what health authorities have been able to document.

"We think, with some of our support and modelling, the scale of the outbreak is at least 2-4 times the number of cases we are finding," Ihekweazu said after visiting the affected region.

He noted that most deaths were occurring in family settings rather than in medical facilities, a factor that complicates detection and reporting. As of July 12, 727 patients were receiving care in Ebola treatment centres across the affected areas. Experts have described the outbreak as the fastest-growing Ebola epidemic ever recorded on the African continent.

Healthcare Workers Threaten Strike Over Unpaid Salaries

The containment effort is facing mounting difficulties as doctors and other healthcare personnel in the affected regions have threatened to walk out over unpaid wages. At the Ebola treatment centre in Rwampara, one of the hardest-hit areas, workers burned a tyre in protest on Monday and temporarily blocked access routes, according to AFP.

The Rwampara facility is located in Ituri province, the epicentre of the outbreak, where at least 384 cases have been confirmed, including 89 deaths.

Dr. Pascal Bahoya, a physician at the centre, told AFP that staff have been treating Ebola patients without pay since May 15. "We continue to treat them because of our oath, but we are working under very difficult conditions," he said. His colleague, Dr. Jeremie Bataga, added that while some staff feel disheartened, they continue working out of professional conscience.

The medical staff issued a 48-hour ultimatum for the payment of their salaries and bonuses, after which they said they would launch a total strike with no minimum service guaranteed. Bahati Claude, another health worker at the hospital, told the Associated Press that colleagues were baffled by the lack of payment for two months. "We don't want to give up the job," he said.

DRC's National Institute of Public Health reported that healthcare workers themselves have been disproportionately affected, accounting for 112 transmissions and 35 deaths by Sunday.

Government Acknowledges Payment Delays

Congolese Health Minister Samuel Roger Kamba acknowledged the payment delays and attributed them to an organisational issue. During a visit to Ituri last week, Kamba said the government was verifying the list of personnel involved in the outbreak response, as unrelated names had reportedly been added to the payroll.

"We must ensure that these payments reach the right people," Kamba said. "We have faced a few challenges, notably changes to the lists, which have led to complaints from people saying they are not being paid even though they are working. We have the means to sort this out."

No Vaccine or Treatment for Bundibugyo Strain

The DRC declared its 17th Ebola epidemic on May 15. The outbreak is caused by the Bundibugyo virus, a strain for which no vaccine or approved treatment currently exists. A clinical trial involving two experimental treatments is under way.

International partners and African nations have mobilised $1.5 billion to support the health response in the DRC. Five provinces in eastern Congo are affected, including Tshopo and Haut-Uele, where the most recent cases have been reported.

The outbreak has also crossed international borders. Uganda, which neighbours the DRC, has reported 20 cases, including two deaths.

The combination of an undercounted caseload, unpaid and demoralised healthcare workers, and the absence of a vaccine for the Bundibugyo strain presents a formidable challenge to containment efforts. As the virus continues to spread across multiple provinces and into neighbouring countries, the situation underscores the urgency of coordinated international support. Share this article to help raise awareness about the evolving Ebola crisis in central Africa.

Source: Al Jazeera English