Overview
- Since the outbreak was declared on May 15, health authorities have recorded about 3,360 confirmed cases and 1,487 deaths, with the virus centered in Ituri and spreading into multiple provinces and across the border into Uganda.
- The World Food Programme says more than 2.7 million people in 48 Ebola-affected health zones face acute food insecurity, including roughly 628,000 in emergency conditions, and Ituri alone has about 1.9 million people needing food aid.
- WFP has delivered over 160,000 hot meals and run air and logistics support to move staff and supplies, but the agency cut wider assistance in Congo from 3 million people last year to 1 million this year because of funding gaps.
- Public health efforts are hampered by insecurity, community mistrust and movement limits that disrupt markets and supply routes, push up food and fuel prices, and make it harder for people to reach fields and health services.
- The outbreak is caused by the Bundibugyo strain, for which no licensed vaccine or proven treatment exists; vaccine trials are under way but wide availability is expected to take months, prompting the UN to revise up Ebola-specific funding requests.