Deaths Surge in DR Congo Displacement Camp Amid Ebola Fears

By Al Mayadeen English

20 Jun 2026 09:55

At least 30 people have died in a displacement camp in eastern Congo, raising fears of undetected Ebola transmission as aid cuts worsen sanitation and healthcare conditions.

At least 30 people have died since the beginning of May in a displacement camp in northeastern Democratic Republic of Congo, raising fears that Ebola may be spreading undetected among vulnerable communities already struggling with conflict, displacement, and deteriorating living conditions.

The deaths were reported in Kigonze camp near Bunia, the epicenter of the country's current Ebola outbreak. Camp officials described the mortality rate as unprecedented, noting that residents had previously experienced only a handful of deaths each month.

Despite mounting concerns, the exact causes of death remain unconfirmed. Residents and relatives of victims had refused medical testing of both the living and the deceased until Thursday, according to camp representatives and humanitarian workers.

Several local sources told Reuters that many of the victims displayed symptoms commonly associated with Ebola, including fever, headaches, and vomiting.

"People didn't just die like this before," camp spokesperson Desire Grodya Bapi told Reuters.

The surge in fatalities has heightened concerns that the virus could be circulating among displaced populations without detection, complicating efforts to contain the outbreak.

Health workers struggle to contain potential spread

Health officials and aid organizations have encountered significant obstacles in their attempts to investigate the deaths and monitor possible transmission.

Camp President Dz'djo Ndrutsi Etienne said ten people were buried during a single week, while aid workers described witnessing multiple bodies awaiting burial, including children and a pregnant woman.

Footage verified by Reuters showed health workers wearing protective suits disinfecting bodies and preparing coffins as grieving relatives gathered nearby.

According to Catholic aid organization Caritas, repeated efforts to persuade families to allow medical inspections of victims were initially rejected.

"Our team tried to persuade people to accept doctors to inspect the bodies. They completely refused," said Justin Zanamuzi, director of Caritas.

Health workers have since collected samples from several victims, though results were still pending at the time of reporting. Officials noted that cholera can produce similar symptoms and spread rapidly in communities with inadequate sanitation.

Humanitarian crisis fuels disease risks

The outbreak is unfolding amid one of Africa's largest displacement crises.

Eastern Congo hosts millions of displaced civilians who have fled years of armed conflict and instability. Many camps are overcrowded, with families sharing cramped shelters and lacking access to adequate sanitation infrastructure.

Kato Lonu, a camp resident who lost two children, including a six-month-old infant, said families were witnessing deaths on an almost daily basis.

"These are conditions that no human being should have to live in. If you look around, people are dying one after another," he said.

Aid workers reported that children move through muddy pathways barefoot while families live in tents separated by less than a meter, conditions that create an environment conducive to the spread of infectious disease.

Aid cuts deepen public health emergency

Humanitarian organizations say the growing health emergency has been exacerbated by reductions in international funding for water, sanitation, and hygiene programs, commonly known as WASH services.

Several aid workers told Reuters that cuts by major donors have weakened the capacity of humanitarian agencies to prevent outbreaks and respond to emerging health threats.

United Nations data shows that funding for sanitation infrastructure in Congo fell sharply between 2024 and 2025, dropping to roughly $38 million. This year's broader funding appeal remains only 21% funded.

In Kigonze, residents and aid workers reported a shortage of toilets, many of which overflow regularly.

"The latrines, they fill up very quickly, and people have to empty them themselves, with their bare hands," Grodya said.

Several international organizations, including Mercy Corps, the Danish Refugee Council, CARE International, and Oxfam, reported scaling back or ending US-funded sanitation projects in Ebola-affected areas following funding reductions.

Mercy Corps said that while its programs served more than 125,000 displaced people in 2024 through dozens of water points and hundreds of public toilets, current funding levels support only a fraction of those services.

Aid groups warn that deteriorating sanitation conditions could accelerate the spread of diseases such as Ebola and cholera among displaced communities already facing severe humanitarian hardships.