Ebola Outbreak Worsens Amid Unpaid Workers and Unknown Sources

WHO:

ABC News - World Health Organization’s emergencies chief.

ABC News - Congolese health minister, Roger Kamba.

ABC News - Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General.

ABC News - Bahati Claude, health worker at Rwampara General Hospital.

WHAT:

ABC News - Confirmed cases of Ebola in Congo have reached 2,011, including 754 deaths, according to government data released overnight.

AP News - The outbreak is now suspected to have cases in two more provinces, including Kisangani, one of Congo’s largest cities.

AP News - The outbreak has nearly 2,000 confirmed cases, including 702 deaths, according to Congolese authorities.

AP News - The first participants have been enrolled in a study of two possible Ebola treatments, including Gilead Sciences’ remdesivir and Mapp Biopharmaceutical’s experimental MBP134.

ABC News - Confirmed cases of Ebola in Congo have reached 2,011, including 754 deaths, according to government data released overnight.

AP News - The outbreak is now suspected to have cases in two more provinces, including Kisangani, one of Congo’s largest cities.

AP News - The outbreak has nearly 2,000 confirmed cases, including 702 deaths, according to Congolese authorities.

AP News - The first participants have been enrolled in a study of two possible Ebola treatments, including Gilead Sciences’ remdesivir and Mapp Biopharmaceutical’s experimental MBP134.

AP News - The outbreak is now suspected to have cases in two more provinces, including Kisangani, one of Congo’s largest cities.

AP News - The outbreak has nearly 2,000 confirmed cases, including 702 deaths, according to Congolese authorities.

AP News - The first participants have been enrolled in a study of two possible Ebola treatments, including Gilead Sciences’ remdesivir and Mapp Biopharmaceutical’s experimental MBP134.

ABC News - The Ebola outbreak is now described as "outpacing the response efforts," according to the World Health Organization’s emergencies chief.

ABC News - The outbreak is caused by a type of Ebola with no approved treatment or vaccine.

ABC News - The treatment center in Ituri where a study of two badly needed treatments began earlier this month is different from the one where the strike is occurring.

ABC News - The Ebola outbreak in eastern Congo is the fastest-growing outbreak ever recorded on the continent.

ABC News - There are 1,926 confirmed cases of Ebola in the country, including 702 deaths.

ABC News - Dozens of workers at an Ebola treatment center in northeast Congo went on strike over unpaid salaries and bonuses.

ABC News - The striking staff includes epidemiologists, case investigators, drivers, and gravediggers.

ABC News - A second U.S. citizen, a humanitarian worker, was transferred to Germany after contracting Ebola.

WHERE:

ABC News - The outbreak is centered in Ituri province, northeast Congo.

ABC News - Rwampara General Hospital is the location of the strike.

WHEN:

ABC News - The Congolese authorities declared the Ebola outbreak on May 15.

ABC News - The outbreak has been ongoing since May, with the virus spreading to two more provinces last week.

WHY:

NY Post - The head of the WHO's Health Emergencies Programme stated, "This outbreak requires resources that match the scale of the challenges that we are facing. And this is not a burden DRC can be allowed to carry alone."

AP News - Health Minister Roger Kamba stated, “We must ensure that these payments reach the right people,” addressing the issue of unrelated names being added to the payroll.

AP News - The health minister, Roger Kamba, stated, “We must ensure that these payments reach the right people,” addressing the issue of unrelated names being added to the payroll.

ABC News - Health workers expressed confusion over not being paid for two months, with Bahati Claude stating, “We don’t know how it is possible to not have been paid for two months.”

ABC News - Workers are striking due to unpaid salaries and bonuses, having not been paid for two months.

ABC News - The outbreak is caused by the rare Bundibugyo virus, with delays in confirming the outbreak due to testing for a more common type of Ebola.

HOW:

AP News - The study of the two treatments is currently offered in just one Ebola treatment center in Ituri province, with plans to expand to other locations once it is safe to do so.

ABC News - The striking workers blocked the road leading to the hospital and burned a tire outside as part of their protest.

ABC News - The government is verifying a list of those working to control the outbreak to ensure payments reach the right people.

(UPDATED July 15, 2026 14:31 UTC)

Confirmed cases of Ebola in Congo have now reached 2,011, with 754 deaths reported, according to government data released overnight. The outbreak is suspected to have spread to two additional provinces, including Kisangani, one of the country's largest cities, prompting the enrollment of participants in a study testing two potential treatments, Gilead Sciences’ remdesivir and Mapp Biopharmaceutical’s experimental MBP134. The head of the WHO's Health Emergencies Programme emphasized that the scale of this outbreak requires resources that the Democratic Republic of Congo cannot manage alone, while Health Minister Roger Kamba highlighted the need to ensure that financial assistance reaches the intended recipients.

(UPDATED July 15, 2026 09:35 UTC)

Confirmed cases of Ebola in Congo have now reached 2,011, with 754 deaths reported, according to government data released overnight. The outbreak is suspected to have spread to two additional provinces, including Kisangani, which is one of Congo's largest cities. The head of the WHO's Health Emergencies Programme emphasized that this outbreak requires resources that match the scale of the challenges, stating that the Democratic Republic of the Congo cannot be expected to carry this burden alone.

(UPDATED July 15, 2026 06:38 UTC)

The outbreak in Congo is escalating, with nearly 2,000 confirmed cases and 702 deaths reported, and now suspected cases have emerged in two additional provinces, including Kisangani, one of the country's largest cities. In response to the crisis, the first participants have been enrolled in a study testing two potential Ebola treatments, Gilead Sciences’ remdesivir and Mapp Biopharmaceutical’s experimental MBP134, currently available at a single treatment center in Ituri province. Health Minister Roger Kamba emphasized the importance of ensuring that financial assistance reaches the intended recipients, addressing concerns about unrelated names appearing on the payroll.

(UPDATED July 15, 2026 05:46 UTC)

The outbreak of Ebola in Congo is escalating, with nearly 2,000 confirmed cases and 702 deaths reported by local authorities, and it is now suspected to have spread to two additional provinces, including Kisangani, one of the country's largest cities. In response to the crisis, the first participants have been enrolled in a study testing two potential treatments, Gilead Sciences' remdesivir and Mapp Biopharmaceutical's experimental MBP134, currently available at a single treatment center in Ituri province, with plans to expand to more locations as conditions allow. Health Minister Roger Kamba emphasized the importance of ensuring that financial aid reaches the intended recipients, as there have been concerns about unrelated names appearing on the payroll.

(UPDATED July 15, 2026 01:22 UTC)

The World Health Organization’s emergencies chief has reported that the Ebola outbreak is now outpacing response efforts, and this particular strain of the virus has no approved treatment or vaccine. Health workers at a treatment center in Ituri have expressed confusion over not receiving pay for two months, with one worker stating, “We don’t know how it is possible to not have been paid for two months.” In response to the situation, striking workers blocked the road leading to the hospital and burned a tire outside as part of their protest.

(UPDATED July 14, 2026 15:23 UTC)

The World Health Organization has reported that the Ebola outbreak in eastern Congo is the fastest-growing outbreak ever recorded on the continent, with 1,926 confirmed cases and 702 deaths. In response to unpaid salaries and bonuses, dozens of health workers at Rwampara General Hospital, including epidemiologists and case investigators, have gone on strike, blocking access to the facility and burning a tire in protest. Meanwhile, a second U.S. citizen, a humanitarian worker, has been transferred to Germany after contracting the virus, as the outbreak continues to spread to additional provinces.