30 Die in Congo Displacement Camp With Ebola-Like Symptoms as WASH Funding Falls to $38 Million
Updated
Updated · Reuters · Jun 19
30 Die in Congo Displacement Camp With Ebola-Like Symptoms as WASH Funding Falls to $38 Million
3 articles · Updated · Reuters · Jun 19
Summary
More than 30 people have died since early May in Kigonze camp in Bunia, an unprecedented spike from the usual one to three deaths a month that officials fear could signal fast Ebola spread.
Families had refused Ebola testing on sick people and corpses until Thursday, leaving the cause unconfirmed even as victims showed headaches, fever and vomiting; samples from five victims are now awaiting results.
Kigonze’s 15,000 residents live in tightly packed tents with too few overflowing toilets, and aid workers said those conditions heighten the risk of Ebola or cholera spreading through the camp.
U.N. data showed Congo’s water, sanitation and hygiene funding more than halved in 2025 to about $38 million, while four aid groups said U.S.-funded WASH projects in the three affected provinces were cut back or dropped.
The deaths deepen concern that Ebola may be circulating undetected among eastern Congo’s more than 5 million displaced people; Ituri province already accounts for over 90% of nearly 900 confirmed cases.
With Ebola in Uganda's capital, what is preventing this outbreak from becoming the next global pandemic?
How can doctors fight an untreatable Ebola strain in a conflict zone where communities refuse help?
Bundibugyo Ebola Outbreak in Eastern DRC (2026): Medical, Financial, and Social Barriers to Control
Overview
The Ebola crisis in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo is rapidly worsening due to the Bundibugyo strain, which spreads quickly and is difficult to contain. The region’s health infrastructure is under severe strain, with not enough isolation beds to meet the growing need. This makes it hard to isolate infected people and stop the virus from spreading in communities, making the crisis worse. Tracking the outbreak remains a challenge, as undetected cases allow the virus to spread silently. These combined factors are putting immense pressure on healthcare workers and making it even harder to control the outbreak.