UN Warns Ebola Could Spread Rapidly in Congo Displacement Camps

The United Nations has warned that the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) risks spreading rapidly through overcrowded displacement camps in the country's conflict hit eastern region, where poor sanitation, mass displacement and limited healthcare have heightened the threat of transmission. The warning comes as the DRC battles its fastest growing Ebola outbreak on record.

The UN refugee agency (UNHCR) said internally displaced people living in camps face heightened risks because of overcrowding, inadequate access to clean water and sanitation, and constant population movement. The first Ebola related deaths have already been confirmed in Kpangba displacement camp, which shelters around 30,000 internally displaced people. Eastern provinces including Ituri, North Kivu and South Kivu, home to more than 5 million displaced people, have been devastated by years of armed conflict, complicating disease surveillance, contact tracing and treatment efforts.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), the outbreak is caused by the rare Bundibugyo strain of the Ebola virus and has spread into neighbouring Uganda. Health officials say nearly 80% of new infections originate from unknown transmission chains, while more than 2,000 confirmed cases and over 700 deaths have been recorded in Congo and Uganda. There is no approved vaccine or specific treatment for the Bundibugyo strain, although clinical trials of experimental therapies are underway.

The UN and the International Organization for Migration (IOM) also warned that transporting Ebola victims' bodies between districts for traditional funerals could accelerate transmission, particularly as many deaths occur outside health facilities. Health worker strikes, funding shortages, insecurity and community mistrust continue to hamper containment efforts, prompting UN agencies to call for stronger international support to expand testing, treatment, safe burials and public awareness.