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The World Food Programme warned that Ebola is spreading rapidly in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), where communities face conflict and food insecurity. The current outbreak has surpassed the 2018–2020 epidemic, with 567 new cases and 296 deaths reported in a single week, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). Transmission remains concentrated in a high-risk zone where lifesaving operations are underway. Health partners, including the United States and the International Medical Corps, supported the establishment of an Ebola transit centre at Kigonze displacement camp near Bunia to improve early detection and patient referrals.

The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) announced the opening of the country’s largest Ebola treatment centre this week, with a capacity of 100 beds. WHO emphasized that a significant expansion of response efforts is required to control the outbreak, which is marked by rising cases, wider geographic spread, and high mortality rates. The agency noted that insecurity, displacement, and cross-border movements further complicate containment efforts in Ituri province, where approximately 270,000 displaced people live in crowded sites conducive to disease transmission.

WHO reported that the outbreak is causing severe complications, including stillbirths and premature deliveries, highlighting the need for specialized care for pregnant patients. Since the outbreak was declared late last year, UN agencies and Congolese health authorities have expanded treatment capacity, including an initial 25-bed centre opened in December. Supplies and beds have been delivered to priority areas such as Nizi, a displacement hub hosting over 80,000 people across 22 sites, where high population mobility linked to mining activities increases transmission risks.

This week, WHO delivered 30 additional beds and 38 mattresses to health authorities in Nizi, raising the local Ebola Treatment Centre’s capacity to 80 beds. The scaling up of facilities and resources reflects ongoing efforts to strengthen the response, though WHO stressed that further measures are urgently needed to address the outbreak’s accelerating pace and expanding reach.