Date: June 19, 2026 l By Kimberly White
BUNIA, Democratic Republic of Congo — Health officials and humanitarian workers are raising alarm after at least 30 deaths were reported at a camp for displaced civilians in northeastern Democratic Republic of Congo, intensifying concerns that the country’s Ebola outbreak may be spreading more rapidly than previously understood.
The deaths were reported at Kigonze camp near Bunia, an area already at the centre of Congo’s ongoing Ebola response. According to aid workers and camp representatives, the number of deaths recorded since early May was considered unusually high for the settlement and prompted concerns about undetected transmission.
Several of those who died were confirmed to have had Ebola, while officials said it was not possible to immediately determine the causes of all fatalities because many residents or relatives had previously declined testing. Reports indicated that individuals who died had experienced symptoms including fever, headaches and vomiting — symptoms that can be associated with Ebola infection but may also overlap with other illnesses.
Humanitarian agencies have repeatedly warned that displacement camps create conditions that make disease containment more difficult. Overcrowding, limited sanitation infrastructure and population movement increase the risk of transmission once infections emerge. Aid groups operating in eastern Congo have warned that shared facilities and disrupted healthcare access could accelerate the outbreak.
The outbreak has already become one of the largest Ebola emergencies in recent years. Congo’s health authorities reported that confirmed cases had reached 933 with 245 deaths by June 19, and the figures continued to rise the following day as additional infections were identified.
International agencies have expressed growing concern over the pace of spread. The World Health Organization has warned that the outbreak is serious and expanding quickly, while response efforts continue to focus on surveillance, isolation measures, diagnostics and community engagement.
Public health workers say community trust remains a major challenge. Resistance to testing, delays in seeking treatment and misinformation have complicated efforts to identify cases and interrupt chains of transmission in affected communities.
Authorities and aid organizations continue to urge residents to report symptoms early and cooperate with health teams as containment operations expand across affected regions of eastern Congo.