Kinshasa: The world's fastest-growing Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo is outpacing efforts to contain it, as some health workers have gone on strike due to unpaid wages, said the head of the World Health Organization (WHO) during a visit to the country. Nearly three months into the outbreak, WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus noted that new cases are doubling in certain hot spots. This was his second visit to the Central African nation since the outbreak was declared in mid-May.According to France24.com, the DR Congo government reported the number of confirmed Ebola cases has risen to 3,973, including 1,801 deaths. In Ituri province, the epicenter of the outbreak, many frontline health workers have stopped working, impeding healthcare access already strained by ongoing rebel conflict. Some workers have recently begun receiving payments, but they demand better wages to continue their work.Anicet Baluku, a resident from Bunia, Ituri's capital, attributed the deaths of his two brothers to the strike, urging authorities to resolve the issue swiftly to prevent further tragedies. In response to the crisis, the U.S. Department of State announced an additional $242 million in funding for Ebola response and preparedness, bringing total direct assistance to over $512 million.The current outbreak has surpassed all previous Ebola outbreaks in terms of transmission speed and is the second-largest on record, following the 2014-2016 West Africa outbreak. The Bundibugyo virus causing this outbreak has no approved treatment or vaccine, and local officials suspect it began in a remote area before being declared on May 15.The medical charity Doctors Without Borders stated that the outbreak is spreading at an alarming rate, with response efforts not reaching communities quickly enough to break chains of transmission. Jean Kaseya, head of the Africa Centers for Disease and Control, emphasized the need for improved contact tracing, noting that 60 to 70 percent of new cases are emerging outside mo nitored groups.Kaseya, who met with Tedros, revealed that late detection has significantly contributed to a 45 percent fatality rate. Of the 77 recent cases reported in a 24-hour period, 44 were fatal. At present, 717 patients are in isolation, while 749 have recovered.Tedros called for urgent action to enhance coordination under government leadership and to protect health workers, stressing the importance of local community involvement in the response. "We cannot stop Ebola without their trust, leadership, and partnership," he stated.
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