Médecins Sans Frontières has described the resurgence of Ebola in the Democratic Republic of Congo as ‘deeply alarming’, prompting the United Kingdom to announce additional humanitarian funding for the region.
The organisation, known internationally as Doctors Without Borders, reported on Monday that the number of new cases in North Kivu province had risen sharply over the past fortnight. At least 30 confirmed infections have been recorded since the start of the month, with the majority concentrated in the densely populated city of Goma. MSF’s emergency coordinator in the country, Dr. Jean-Claude Mubenga, said the virus was spreading faster than containment teams could respond. ‘We are seeing a pattern similar to the early days of the 2018 outbreak. If the international community does not act now, we risk a cascade of transmission that will overwhelm local health systems,’ he said.
The alert comes two years after the World Health Organization declared the end of the deadliest Ebola epidemic in the country’s history, which killed more than 2,200 people. Despite significant investment in surveillance and vaccination campaigns, the persistent insecurity in eastern Congo has hampered efforts to reach affected communities. Armed groups operating in the region have repeatedly attacked health workers and sabotaged treatment centres, creating a landscape of fear and mistrust.
In response to the escalating crisis, the UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office announced a new package of £5 million in emergency aid. The funds will be channelled through the International Rescue Committee and the World Food Programme to support contact tracing, safe burials, and the establishment of isolation units. A spokesperson for the department said the UK remained committed to strengthening health systems in fragile states, particularly where outbreaks threatened regional stability.
The announcement follows a virtual meeting of the G7 health ministers, during which Britain pressed for a coordinated international response. Downing Street signalled that further resources could be made available if the situation deteriorated. However, critics argue that cuts to the UK’s overseas aid budget from 0.7 to 0.5 per cent of gross national income have severely limited the government’s ability to respond to multiple health emergencies simultaneously.
The Ebola virus, which causes severe haemorrhagic fever, has a fatality rate of up to 90 per cent in the absence of treatment. Although an effective vaccine now exists, logistical challenges and community resistance remain major obstacles. MSF has called for the immediate deployment of mobile vaccination teams and the reinforcement of epidemiological surveillance across the border with Rwanda and Uganda.
The WHO has maintained a risk assessment of ‘high’ at the national level, but has not yet declared a Public Health Emergency of International Concern. A spokesperson said the organisation was monitoring the situation closely and would reconvene its emergency committee if cross-border transmission was confirmed.
For now, the focus remains on containment. But as the virus moves closer to urban centres and international borders, the window for effective action is narrowing.
