Health workers strike as Ebola outbreak spreads, with confirmed cases surpassing 3,000

Health workers at an Ebola treatment center in eastern Congo have gone on strike over unpaid bonuses as the country’s outbreak became the fastest-growing on record, with confirmed cases surpassing 3,000.

The Elikya Ebola Treatment Center in Bunia, Ituri province, was brought to a standstill after doctors, nurses and security staff stopped working. Around 100 health workers protested outside the facility, saying unpaid bonuses were damaging morale and affecting patient care.

“We need to be paid, because in the meantime the disease is spreading at the treatment center,” said Martin Bolombi, one of the striking health workers. “I’ve already had five people die who are still inside there. A solution must be found for us,” he added.

In a statement, staff said they had unanimously voted to continue the strike until “concrete solutions” were found to resolve two months of unpaid performance bonuses.

The walkout came a day after Congo Prime Minister Judith Suminwa visited Ituri, touring treatment centers in Rwampara and Mongbwalu to review the outbreak response. During her visit to Mongbwalu, healthcare workers raised concerns about delayed payments.

Dr. Adelard Lufungula, operations manager for the Ebola response, said the issue was “being resolved.” He said workers were now receiving payments through mobile money instead of cash and that the backlog “should be cleared” in the coming days.

Workers at Bunia General Hospital, the region’s largest medical facility, had previously gone on strike over unpaid salaries. Some told The Associated Press they had received no payment since joining the outbreak response.

Outbreak context

Congo has been battling an Ebola outbreak caused by the rare Bundibugyo virus since May 15, 2026. Ituri province accounts for nearly 90 percent of confirmed cases.

The World Health Organization said more than 100 healthcare workers have been infected since the outbreak began.

A major challenge for authorities is that the source of the outbreak has not been identified. Conflict-related displacement and illegal mining have complicated efforts to trace thousands of people exposed to infected individuals.

The response has also been hindered by funding shortages, attacks on healthcare facilities, ongoing conflict in eastern Congo and mistrust among local communities.

Unlike the more common Zaire strain of Ebola, there is no approved vaccine or treatment specifically for the Bundibugyo virus. The Zaire strain, responsible for most of Congo’s previous 16 outbreaks, has an available vaccine.

A study testing two possible Ebola treatments has begun enrolling patients in Ituri. The World Health Organization said the global risk of international spread remains low, noting that Ebola spreads through direct contact with bodily fluids and not through the air.

Latest case data

According to the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control, citing Congolese Ministry of Health data through July 25, 2026, Congo had recorded 3,200 confirmed cases, including 1,405 deaths. Another 773 patients were hospitalized in isolation.

The country reported 125 new confirmed cases and 51 deaths in a single day, with new infections recorded in Ituri (115 cases), North Kivu (seven cases) and Haut-Uele (three cases). A total of 571 patients had recovered.

Ituri remained the epicenter, with 2,848 cases and 1,184 deaths reported across 28 of the province’s 36 health zones.

Nationally, 77.8 percent of identified contacts were under monitoring across Ituri, North Kivu, Haut-Uele and Tshopo provinces.