Previously, three provinces in the Democratic Republic of Congo were affected by the Ebola outbreak: Ituri (bordering Uganda and South Sudan), neighboring North-Kivu, and South-Kivu. Uganda has recorded 20 cases, including two deaths.

The Haut-Uélé region, bordering Ituri, South Sudan, and the Central African Republic, has now become the fourth province to report cases. Health officials confirmed that an infected individual traveled from Ituri to Haut-Uélé, bringing the virus into the region. Tragically, the patient later succumbed to the disease.

Health authorities are working to trace transmission chains and identify contact cases. Funeral rites have been a significant factor in the spread, as Ebola is highly contagious through contact with bodily fluids of deceased victims.

Humanitarian workers have faced persistent public resistance while attempting to organize safe burials that adhere to strict sanitary measures to prevent human contact with corpses. In many communities, traditional funeral practices involve prolonged ceremonies where family members often touch the deceased.

Escalating violence complicates response efforts

In recent weeks, several health centers have reported incidents, including clashes with angry community members demanding the release of their relatives’ bodies. The Haut-Uélé region shares similarities with Ituri: both are located at the crossroads of multiple countries and rich in gold, making them hubs for intense trade and transit that facilitate virus transmission.

Armed group violence has plagued these areas for years. In Ituri, massacres have occurred regularly for over a decade, perpetrated by community militias or the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF), an ISIS-affiliated armed group. The ADF has recently expanded operations into Haut-Uélé, further destabilizing the region. The ongoing insecurity has severely hindered the deployment of a delayed health response, with humanitarian and scientific sources noting that authorities took too long to detect the virus.

Preliminary epidemiological investigations suggest the first suspicious deaths may date back to January. Efforts in Ituri have intensified, but health facilities—often under-resourced in one of the world’s poorest nations—lack essential supplies like protective kits and chlorine.

Ebola treatment centers, established with support from the World Health Organization and several NGOs, are already overwhelmed, operating at over 138% capacity, according to the National Institute of Public Health. So far, 78 healthcare workers have been infected, with 18 fatalities.

Experts and health officials warn that six weeks after the official declaration of the outbreak, the peak has not yet been reached. The crisis could persist for another six months to a year. Ebola, transmitted through contact with bodily fluids, has claimed over 15,000 lives in Africa over the past 50 years. The deadliest outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo occurred between 2018 and 2020, resulting in nearly 2,300 deaths out of 3,500 confirmed cases.