New Ebola outbreak in Congo kills dozens as donors urged to fund response

An Ebola outbreak in southern Congo has killed dozens, with health authorities reporting 57 confirmed cases and 35 deaths since the outbreak was announced on Sept. 4. The fatality rate tops 61%, and this marks the first Ebola flare-up in Kasai province in 18 years. The epicenter is in the Bulape health zone, a remote area more than 1,000 kilometers (620 miles) from Kinshasa, Congo’s capital, where road access is limited and transportation is challenging.

Health authorities and international organizations warn that funds and resources are running short for a comprehensive, speedily mounted response. The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) has appealed for 20 million Swiss francs ($25 million) to reach roughly 965,000 people with urgent assistance as the outbreak strains existing health facilities. The sole treatment center in Bulape is operating at about 119% capacity, and officials say clean water, protective equipment, and other critical supplies are running well below needed levels.

The funding gap is echoed across international agencies. The IFRC has allocated roughly 1.75 million Swiss francs ($2.2 million) in emergency funds to this response so far. Although there has been some assistance from the United States, officials on the ground say it has not been detailed or sufficient to satisfy the scale of needs. The World Health Organization (WHO) says current funding includes a $2 million emergency fund and about $2.3 million from the United Kingdom, Germany, and the Gavi vaccine alliance, far short of the roughly $20 million the organization estimates will be required over the next three months to sustain critical operations.

Without more immediate support, gaps in operations will persist and threaten containment efforts and protection for vulnerable communities, according to WHO officials.

Congolese authorities have estimated a national outbreak response plan requiring about $78 million to cover surveillance, vaccination, case management, logistics, and community outreach. Medical officials emphasize that much of the work remains in early stages and that resources are needed to expand reach, especially to remote populations that are difficult to access using existing infrastructure.

Health workers say every component of the response comes with substantial cost. Treating Ebola requires ambulances to move patients from remote areas to facilities before they become highly contagious, adequate protective equipment for staff, essential medicines, and vaccines. In Bulape, local leaders stress that there is a long way to go to build a robust response capable of containing transmission and preventing further spread beyond Kasai.

Vaccination efforts have reached 1,740 people in three health zones—Bulape, Bulambae, and Mweka—as of Sept. 21. The Bulape zone alone has a population of more than 212,000, according to 2020 United Nations figures. WHO officials say the vaccination campaign has progressed more slowly than hoped due to logistical hurdles, including a lack of storage infrastructure that forces officials to shuttle vaccines in small batches, causing delays. Amitié Bukidi, chief medical officer of the Mweka health zone, notes that most cases have occurred outside health facilities and that expanding community outreach is essential, including engagement with opinion leaders to reach farmers in remote areas. He says the team needs motorcycles to access hard-to-reach locales, and that any additional involvement from partners such as USAID would be welcome.

As the outbreak unfolds, experts warn that the situation in Kasai could worsen without rapid, sustained funding and resource mobilization. Officials stress the need for a coordinated push to increase vaccine storage capacity, speed up deployment of supplies, and expand transport and personnel to reach remote communities before transmission intensifies. The current trajectory relies on timely donor support and continued commitments from international partners to prevent a broader regional impact.

The Associated Press continues to monitor the outbreak as more information becomes available from health authorities and aid organizations in Congo and the region.