Ebola Spreading Rapidly in Congolese Refugee Camp, At Least 30 Dead Since May

BUNIA, Congo (CNA) - At least 30 people have died in over a month in a camp for displaced civilians in northeastern Democratic Republic of Congo, an unprecedented death rate according to officials, with some deaths confirmed as Ebola, indicating the disease may be spreading rapidly.

A spokesperson for the Catholic relief organization Caritas and the Kigonze camp in Bunia stated that it is currently unlikely to confirm the specific causes of all deaths, as patients or their families refused testing until the 18th. This camp is a heavily affected area of the Ebola epidemic.

According to the camp spokesperson and residents who spoke to Reuters, all deceased individuals exhibited symptoms related to Ebola, such as headache, fever, and vomiting.

Camp spokesperson Desire Grodya Bapi said in an interview, "People who got sick before did not die so suddenly."

Kigonze camp has a population of over 15,000 people. Recent deaths have raised concerns that the Ebola virus may have been quietly spreading among the 5 million displaced people in eastern Congo. Coupled with public refusal to be tested and extremely poor local sanitation conditions, controlling the epidemic has become even more difficult.

Camp chairman Dz'djo Ndrutsi Etienne stated that 10 people were buried this week alone. Grodya said that the camp previously recorded a maximum of 1 to 3 deaths per month.

The Congolese government announced the outbreak on May 15, but officials admit that deaths occurred as early as the beginning of May.

Four aid workers pointed out that under the Trump administration, cuts to foreign aid budgets have significantly reduced funding for water, sanitation, and hygiene in the Democratic Republic of Congo, making communities more vulnerable to infectious diseases like Ebola and potentially leading to a surge in deaths.

UN data shows that funding for toilets and handwashing stations in the Democratic Republic of Congo has been halved to approximately $38 million for 2024-2025. The fundraising target of $80 million for this year has only achieved 21% so far. (Compiled by Chi Chin-ling) 1150621

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