Ebola Spreading in Displacement Camps in Congo, Causing Dozens of Deaths

At least 30 people have died since early May in the Kigonze displacement camp in Bunia, Democratic Republic of Congo, a death rate officials describe as unprecedented. While not all deaths are confirmed as Ebola, many presented with symptoms consistent with the disease, including headaches, fever, and vomiting. Camp residents and aid workers observed a rapid increase in fatalities, with ten deaths reported in one week alone, compared to a typical monthly average of one to three.

Despite initial refusal from patients and relatives to allow testing, some samples from victims have tested positive for Ebola. This resistance to testing, combined with severely limited sanitation in overcrowded camps housing over 15,000 residents, makes it challenging to contain the outbreak and raises fears that Ebola is circulating undetected among eastern Congo's more than 5 million displaced people.

The situation in Kigonze highlights a severe humanitarian crisis. Aid workers witnessed multiple bodies, including those of a pregnant woman and children, and footage showed health teams disinfecting bodies and preparing coffins. The Ebola outbreak was officially declared on May 15, but deaths began earlier. As of June 17, DRC reported 896 confirmed cases and 232 deaths across 31 health zones, with high risks of spread among displaced populations.