At least 30 people have died in a displacement camp in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), raising fears that Ebola may be spreading undetected among thousands of vulnerable residents living in overcrowded and unsanitary conditions.
The deaths were recorded at the Kigonze displacement camp in Bunia, a city at the centre of the country’s worsening Ebola outbreak. Health officials and humanitarian agencies say several of the victims tested positive for Ebola, while many others reportedly displayed symptoms consistent with the deadly virus, including fever, vomiting, headaches and severe weakness.
The camp, which shelters more than 15,000 people displaced by years of conflict and violence, has become a major source of concern for health authorities struggling to contain the outbreak. Medical experts warn that the actual death toll could be significantly higher due to limited testing, delayed reporting and resistance from some residents who remain distrustful of health workers.
Poor sanitation, overcrowded shelters and inadequate healthcare facilities have created ideal conditions for rapid transmission of the disease. Aid workers say overflowing latrines, limited access to clean water and declining humanitarian funding have further weakened efforts to prevent the spread of infections.
The latest fatalities come amid growing alarm over the scale of the Ebola outbreak in eastern Congo. Government figures show hundreds of confirmed cases and scores of deaths across affected provinces, making the current outbreak one of the deadliest in the country’s history. Health responders have repeatedly warned that the true extent of infections remains unknown because many suspected cases are never tested or reported.
Authorities have intensified surveillance, contact tracing and emergency response measures in an effort to contain the outbreak. However, ongoing armed conflict, population displacement and attacks on health facilities continue to hamper intervention efforts, raising fears that the virus could spread beyond the affected communities.
Public health experts warn that without urgent international support and stronger containment measures, the humanitarian crisis could deteriorate further, placing thousands more lives at risk and threatening wider regional health security.
The Democratic Republic of Congo has experienced multiple Ebola outbreaks over the past decade, but health officials say the combination of conflict, displacement and weak healthcare infrastructure has made the current situation particularly dangerous.