Two months after the Ebola disease outbreak was officially declared in Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Doctors Without Borders/Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) is calling for an urgent scale-up of the medical response.
The epidemic, which has resulted in nearly 2,000 patients with confirmed cases and more than 700 deaths, continues to spread at an unprecedented pace and into new areas while efforts to control it remain insufficient.
“We are still chasing the outbreak instead of staying ahead of it,” said Trish Newport, MSF emergency program manager. “Every delay costs lives. More people become infected, more families lose loved ones, and the response becomes harder to contain. We need stronger, more coordinated international action to move faster and improve access to both Ebola care and other essential health services.”
One of the largest and fastest-growing Ebola outbreaks ever
In just two months, the current Ebola disease outbreak — caused by the Bundibugyo virus — has become the third-largest Ebola outbreak and the fastest-growing on record. In less than five weeks, the number of patients with confirmed cases has tripled from 650 to nearly 2,000, as of July 12. The number of deaths has increased more than fivefold, from 130 to over 700. The epidemic has already exceeded half the number of cases recorded during DRC’s 2018–2020 Ebola outbreak, which lasted almost two years.
While Ituri province, the epicenter of the outbreak, accounts for approximately 90 percent of all confirmed cases, the outbreak continues to expand geographically. Limited access to medical care, an overstretched surveillance system, and increasing pressure on treatment centers mean that entire communities outside of major urban areas remain without adequate support.
“In Mongbwalu [in Ituri], we are seeing the deadly human consequences of these gaps every day,” said Dr. Ayokunnu Raji, MSF medical program manager. “At the Ebola treatment center, we continue to see patients arriving in critical condition, with little chance of survival. Since MSF started its Ebola response activities, we have treated 57 survivors, but more than 110 patients have died. Increased national and international resources would help prevent further transmission and loss of life.”
Uganda has also been affected by this outbreak, with 20 confirmed cases and two deaths, according to the Ministry of Health.
Bringing the response closer to those affected
While other medical organizations are working alongside the Ministry of Health in eastern DRC, significant gaps remain. For example, DRC’s disease surveillance system is designed to detect cases early through strong community networks and the local health system. However, the current Ebola disease outbreak — combined with multiple other disease threats — has pushed the system to its limits.
The key to slowing and ultimately stopping the spread of the epidemic is bringing the response closer to communities while boosting the medical response and surveillance system. This way, cases can be identified as early as possible and people who have Ebola can get medical care. Efforts to expand testing, contact tracing, and community engagement must also continue, as well as the safe and dignified management of bodies and burials.
MSF currently runs seven Ebola treatment centers and more than 15 isolation units across Ituri, North Kivu, South Kivu, and Tshopo provinces, with a combined capacity of more than 430 beds. As of July 14, our teams have admitted more than 968 patients, including 357 with confirmed cases, since the beginning of the outbreak. MSF has also supported the recovery of 116 survivors following treatment and care. In addition, MSF supports the Ministry of Health with surveillance and detection activities, community engagement, training, and efforts to ensure safe access to other essential health care services.
Other urgent health needs must also be addressed
The Ebola outbreak is unfolding in a context of armed conflict, displacement, and multiple concurrent health emergencies. Insecurity continues to restrict access to some communities, while MSF teams are simultaneously responding to other urgent medical needs, including cholera and malaria. The approaching rainy season is also expected to drive a surge in malaria cases, placing further strain on an already overstretched health system.
It is crucial to accelerate efforts to improve access to Ebola care while ensuring the provision of other basic humanitarian assistance, including health care, water, and sanitation.
“We cannot continue responding to the epidemic with the same limited resources while it continues to outpace us,” Newport said. “Only a robust, adequately resourced medical response that truly reflects the scale of needs on the ground can prevent this outbreak from becoming a crisis beyond our ability to contain. To achieve that, expanded international support is urgently needed.”
