Confirmed Ebola cases in the Democratic Republic of Congo have risen to 956, including 247 deaths, as of Saturday, according to Congolese officials. This marks an increase from Friday's tally of 933 confirmed cases and 245 deaths. The outbreak, first declared on May 15, has seen a concerning spike in fatalities, particularly among displaced populations in the northeastern region.
Deaths in Displacement Camp Raise Alarm
At least 30 people have died since the start of May in the Kigonze camp for displaced civilians in Bunia, the epicenter of the outbreak in Ituri Province. Camp officials described the death rate as unprecedented, with some deaths confirmed to be from Ebola. Camp spokesperson Desire Grodya Bapi told Reuters, "People didn't just die like this before." The camp, home to over 15,000 residents, typically records between one and three deaths per month. Camp President Dz'djo Ndrutsi Etienne reported that 10 people were buried in a single week.
Justin Zanamuzi, director of Catholic aid organization Caritas, which assists Kigonze residents, said his team observed several bodies covered in sheets on Wednesday, including a pregnant woman and children. Footage verified by Reuters showed health teams in hazmat suits disinfecting bodies and preparing tiny coffins as mourners wailed. Zanamuzi noted that residents initially refused testing, but health workers later took samples from five victims, some of which tested positive for Ebola. Three aid sources confirmed on Saturday that some samples from this week's victims had returned positive results.
Resistance to Testing and Sanitation Challenges
Resistance to testing has compounded the challenge of containing the outbreak. Camp resident Kato Lonu, 47, who lost two children including a 6-month-old, said, "These are conditions that no human being should have to live in. If you look around, people are dying one after another." The deaths in Kigonze raise fears that Ebola may be circulating undetected among eastern Congo's over 5 million displaced people, with severely limited sanitation measures exacerbating the risk.
Four aid workers highlighted that funding cuts for water, hygiene, and sanitation (WASH) services have increased communities' exposure to diseases like Ebola. Data compiled by the UN shows that funding for toilets and handwashing stations in Congo more than halved between 2024 and 2025, to around $38 million, and this year's $80 million appeal is only 21 percent funded. In Kigonze, toilets marked with USAID logos often overflow, and residents must empty them by hand. Grodya explained, "The latrines, they fill up very quickly, and people have to empty them themselves, with their bare hands."
US Funding Cuts Impact Ebola Response
The United States, historically the top supporter of WASH services in Congo, provided over $60 million in 2024 to reduce disease spread. However, under President Donald Trump, funding has been cut. The Trump administration has defended the cuts, stating a focus on "hyper-prioritized life-saving humanitarian assistance." Washington has committed more than $375 million in direct Ebola funding, but four aid groups—Mercy Corps, Danish Refugee Council, CARE International, and Oxfam—reported that their US-funded WASH projects in three Ebola-affected provinces were scaled back or dropped since last year's cuts. Mercy Corps, for instance, built 82 taps and over 400 public toilets serving over 125,000 displaced people in 2024, but this year funding cuts mean fewer than 19,000 people are served by six taps and no public toilets.
The outbreak in DR Congo has primarily affected Ituri Province, which accounts for over 90 percent of nearly 900 confirmed cases. Ebola deaths have also been recorded in another camp in the same province. The situation remains critical as health workers struggle to contain the spread amid resistance to testing and inadequate sanitation infrastructure.
