Congo Ebola outbreak tops 1,000 cases with hundreds of deaths

The World Health Organization reports that the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo, declared on 15 May, has recorded more than 1,000 confirmed cases and over 250 deaths within a month. The disease is spreading rapidly in the Ituri province, especially around the provincial capital Bunia, and has seized overcrowded refugee camps where dozens of additional fatalities have been reported.

Health authorities say only about 55 % of identified contacts are being traced, while more than 2 million people have been displaced by conflict in the region, complicating public‑health efforts. The outbreak is driven by the rare Bundibugyo strain, for which existing vaccines and treatments are limited. The United States has begun supplying an experimental antibody therapy (MBP134) and plans clinical trials. WHO and the African Union have called for expanded international assistance to address shortages of medical staff, protective equipment, and isolation facilities.

The epidemic unfolds amid ongoing armed clashes that restrict access to villages and hinder disease‑control measures, raising concerns of a larger humanitarian catastrophe.