Ebola Outbreak in Congo Kills 5,000 Amid Rebel Violence

An Ebola outbreak in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo has reached a critical state, with more than 5,000 deaths reported since May. The town of Biakato has emerged as a major epicenter where a lack of resources has resulted in a 75 percent mortality rate among patients. Experts warn the current epidemic could surpass the scale of the 2014-2016 West Africa outbreak.

Containment efforts are severely hindered by the Allied Democratic Forces, an Islamic State affiliate. The rebel group has killed 106 people in recent regional attacks and destroyed health facilities, forcing patients to flee and deterring international aid workers. While the World Health Organization and other groups have begun deploying resources, ongoing violence and local mistrust make contact tracing and treatment nearly impossible.

In response to the crisis, Jean-Jacques Muyembe-Tamfum, head of Congo’s National Institute for Biomedical Research, urged the government to negotiate with the rebels to prevent the virus from becoming impossible to contain. The Government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo has established a testing lab in Biakato but officially refuses to negotiate with the insurgency.