The United Nations and its humanitarian agencies have intensified emergency response efforts to contain the rapidly spreading Ebola outbreak in the eastern part of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), amid growing fears of cross-border transmission and worsening humanitarian conditions.
Speaking at a press briefing in New York on Thursday, UN spokesperson, Stephane Dujarric, said humanitarian and peacekeeping teams were working closely with the Congolese government to curb the outbreak, which has heavily impacted Ituri Province.
According to Dujarric, the towns of Rwampara, Mongbwalu and Bunia remain the epicentre of the outbreak, noting that the densely populated urban centres pose a significant risk for wider transmission.
“The peacekeeping mission is providing critical logistical assistance to enable the rapid delivery of medical supplies and equipment to Bunia, where response efforts are being reinforced,” he said.
The UN peacekeeping mission in the DRC, MONUSCO, has deployed four light passenger vehicles, a helicopter, two ambulances and two armoured vehicles to strengthen emergency operations and medical evacuations in affected areas.
Dujarric also disclosed that concerns are mounting over the spread of the virus into North Kivu Province, where confirmed Ebola cases have now been reported in Goma, Butembo and Katwa — all areas with a previous history of Ebola transmission.
Health partners in the region have since intensified surveillance operations, introduced screening measures at entry points and expanded contact tracing efforts.
To improve the mobility of rapid response teams, MONUSCO has also dispatched motorcycles from Goma and Beni, while additional units are being prepared in Bunia for handover to the World Health Organization.
In a fresh development, local authorities have reportedly confirmed another Ebola case in Bukavu, South Kivu Province. The infected individual is said to have travelled from Tshopo Province, which borders Ituri.
Dujarric warned that the outbreak is unfolding under extremely difficult humanitarian conditions marked by insecurity, mass displacement, population movement and restricted access for aid workers and peacekeepers.
He added that several UN agencies, including the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, World Food Programme and UNICEF, are working together to support affected communities.
WFP is currently facilitating the transportation of medical workers, emergency supplies and humanitarian cargo into remote communities while also providing food and nutritional support to patients, survivors and vulnerable households.
The agency said it requires more than 214 million dollars to sustain operations across the DRC, including over 10 million dollars specifically dedicated to Ebola response efforts.
Meanwhile, UNICEF expressed deep concern over the impact of the outbreak on children, warning that young people remain especially vulnerable to disruptions in healthcare, loss of caregivers, psychosocial trauma and increased protection risks.
The agency has already mobilised nearly 50 tonnes of emergency supplies, including disinfectants, soaps, personal protective equipment, water purification tablets and storage tanks.
An Emergency Rapid Response Team is also being deployed to Bunia to strengthen community engagement, risk communication and technical support operations.
Although over 2,000 community health workers have already been deployed, UN agencies say additional personnel and resources are urgently needed, especially in hard-to-reach communities.
The DRC has experienced 17 Ebola outbreaks since the virus was first discovered nearly five decades ago.
Health officials say the latest outbreak is linked to the rare Bundibugyo strain of the Ebola virus, for which there are currently no approved vaccines or specific treatments.
So far, the outbreak has claimed at least 139 lives in the DRC, with nearly 600 suspected cases reported. Uganda has also confirmed two infections.
The WHO has classified the outbreak as a Public Health Emergency of International Concern, urging countries to strengthen coordination and cooperation, while clarifying that the situation has not yet reached pandemic status.
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