Ebola outruns containment as Congo faces ‘catastrophic collision’ of disease and war
Ebola is rapidly spreading in eastern Congo, outpacing the response efforts of health workers. The World Health Organization has declared the outbreak a public health emergency, with significant challenges posed by ongoing conflict in the region. Authorities are struggling to contain the virus as it spreads across multiple provinces and tensions rise among local communities.
- ▪As of May 21, there are 83 confirmed Ebola infections and 746 suspected cases in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
- ▪Health workers managed to follow up with only 21 percent of identified contacts in a single day.
- ▪The outbreak has now spread to three provinces, including South Kivu, where new cases have been confirmed.
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Ebola outruns containment as Congo faces ‘catastrophic collision’ of disease and warSign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inboxRed Cross workers being sprayed with disinfectant during the evacuation of the body of a suspected Ebola victim in Uganda on May 26.PHOTO: AFPPublished May 27, 2026, 07:55 PMUpdated May 27, 2026, 07:59 PMListenGENEVA – Ebola is spreading faster than responders can track it in eastern Congo, where health workers managed to follow up with barely one in five identified contacts in a single day.The authorities in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) reported 83 confirmed infections, 746 suspected cases and 1,603 identified contacts as of May 21, according to the Health Ministry.Yet, health workers were able to follow up with only 342 contacts that day…
Excerpt limited to ~120 words for fair-use compliance. The full article is at Straits Times — World.