Deadly Ebola outbreak in Africa; nearly 180 people have died

Elaha Mon May 2026 4 months ago 486

The World Health Organization has also reported more than 900 suspected cases in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and warned that the risk of the disease spreading within the country is very high, although the likelihood of a global outbreak remains low. Ebola is a severe and highly contagious disease that was first identified in Congo in 1976, and definitive treatments or vaccines still do not exist for some of its strains.


According to The Wall Street Journal, the rapid increase in cases has plunged Congo's fragile health system into crisis. The country has only one doctor for every 10,000 people, and shortages of facilities are even more acute in the eastern regions. Alongside Congo, Uganda has also recorded five Ebola cases, one of which has been fatal. Ugandan authorities have halted urban transport from the Congo border and flights to the country to prevent the disease from spreading, while Rwanda has closed its border crossings with Congo.


Insecurity and attacks by armed groups have made efforts to contain the disease even more difficult. Last week, individuals affiliated with ISIS attacked villages near the outbreak's epicenter in eastern Congo, killing 17 people. At the same time, public distrust of health teams has led to serious obstacles in implementing measures such as the safe burial of victims; meanwhile, the bodies of Ebola patients remain highly infectious.


Congo and Uganda have requested approximately $320 million in international aid to combat this crisis. The United States has also announced it will allocate nearly $50 million to build 50 clinics. The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies has dispatched hundreds of volunteers for awareness-raising and assistance in affected areas.


At the same time, hospitals in the affected regions are facing severe shortages of equipment and facilities. "Karibuni Wamama" Hospital in the city of Bunia, which is now admitting Ebola patients, has also recorded deaths and infections among health workers.


Officials at this center say shortages of basic equipment and declining financial aid have seriously hampered efforts to treat patients. The dominant strain in this epidemic is "Bundibugyo"; a type of Ebola for which no specific vaccine or treatment exists yet, and the survival rate for those infected is estimated at about 50 percent.

The Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has announced that at least 177 people have died so far as a result of the latest Ebola outbreak; however, health officials say the actual number is likely higher than the reported figures.

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