More than 70 medics infected with Ebola as DRC outbreak spreads ‘fast’

June 19, 2026 - 22:21

Aid cuts and worsening sanitation conditions are fueling fears that the Ebola virus is spreading rapidly through displacement camps in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Health officials report that over 70 medical workers have now been infected, marking a troubling escalation in the current outbreak.

The surge in cases among healthcare staff points to critical gaps in infection control. Many clinics in the affected regions lack basic protective gear, and underfunded response teams are struggling to trace contacts. The situation is particularly dire in crowded camps for internally displaced people, where clean water is scarce and social distancing is impossible.

International funding for outbreak response has been slashed in recent months, leaving local authorities to manage the crisis with limited resources. Without proper isolation units and safe burial practices, the virus continues to find new hosts. The World Health Organization has warned that the outbreak is spreading faster than efforts to contain it.

Residents in the hardest-hit areas describe a climate of fear. Some families are hiding sick relatives to avoid quarantine, which only accelerates transmission. Community health workers, already exhausted and underpaid, are now falling ill at an alarming rate.

The DRC has faced multiple Ebola outbreaks in the past, but this one is proving uniquely challenging due to the combination of political instability, funding shortfalls, and a mobile population fleeing violence. Unless international support is restored quickly, health experts say the number of infected medics and civilians will keep climbing.