The family carried out the burial themselves, potentially exposing dozens more people to the virus.
The incident offers a stark example of one of the biggest obstacles facing efforts to contain the latest deadly epidemic, which has infected 381 people and claimed 64 lives in the Democratic Republic of the Congo as of June 3.
For Marie Roseline Belizaire, World Health Organization (WHO) Director of Emergency Preparedness and Response for Africa, the most challenging part is not always the virus itself: it can be sitting with families who believe the disease is caused by witchcraft, persuading traditional healers to work alongside health teams, or health teams returning to the communities that threatened them, just days before.
“We’re not trying to overcome their culture,” he said. “We’re trying to engage science in its own beliefs.”
Dr. Belizaire (center) in a discussion with WHO officials and health partners. The agency is leading the UN response to a deadly Ebola outbreak in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo.
Progress, but not yet control
The outbreak, caused by the rare Bundibugyo strain of the Ebola virus, for which there is no vaccine or treatment, continues to spread in eastern DRC, while cases have also been reported across the border in Uganda.
talking to UN News From Bunia, in Ituri province, Dr. Belizaire said the response has made significant progress in recent weeks, particularly in testing capacity.
At the beginning of the outbreak, laboratories could process about 40 tests a day. That capacity has now been expanded to 800 tests daily, allowing suspected cases to be confirmed or ruled out much more quickly.
“All the tests we are receiving, we are implementing them almost the same day,” he said. “The time to wait for your result has been reduced. Twenty-four, maximum 48 hours you have the result.”
Community alerts are first investigated in the field, and those that meet the outbreak case definition are analyzed and confirmed or ruled out, allowing suspected cases to be removed from the system more quickly than at the beginning of the outbreak.
Firmer stroke
Contact tracing rates have improved from around 25 percent to 45 percent, but remain far below the 90 to 95 percent coverage needed to effectively contain transmission.
“We still have many challenges,” he said, adding that the regional dimensions of the outbreak remain a concern.
Uganda has recorded 15 confirmed cases and one probable case related to the outbreak. A Congolese national also traveled through the United Arab Emirates before arriving in Uganda, highlighting how quickly infectious diseases can cross borders.
“When there is an outbreak and there is mobility, it is always a concern,” Dr. Belizaire said, highlighting, however, that mechanisms such as the WHO International Health Regulations help countries share information quickly and coordinate responses.
An aerial view of Mongbwalu, a city in Ituri province, where health teams are responding to the Ebola outbreak. The complex of white buildings in the foreground is a field hospital.
Confidence in public health
For WHO teams on the ground, one of the most complex tasks is building trust. Many communities in the affected areas have experienced years of conflict and insecurity. Cultural beliefs and misinformation can also influence how people interpret illness and death.
“The symptoms of the disease are very similar to those of malaria in the community,” explained Dr. Belizaire.
Some families attribute deaths to witchcraft or poisoning rather than infections.
Therefore, health workers focus on coexistence rather than confrontation.
“We don’t stop them from believing in witchcraft or anything else in their culture,” he said. “We only ask that at the same time they also believe in the existence of the disease.”
Ancient and modern
Traditional healers are also being involved as partners rather than excluded.
“We don’t stop them from going to traditional healers,” he said. “We ask them (healers), if they see someone with these symptoms, to refer them to us as well.”
The approach reflects lessons learned from previous Ebola outbreaks, where mistrust often proved as dangerous as the virus itself.
WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, who recently visited the epicenter of the outbreak, warned that “misinformation is almost as dangerous as the virus itself and spreads just as quickly.”
WHO Director-General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus (right) meets with a health worker who recovered from Ebola disease caused by the Bundibugyo virus after being discharged from a hospital in Bunia.
Reasons for hope
Despite the difficulties, there have been encouraging signs. Seven people have recovered from Ebola, including six health care workers.
Most sought early treatment and received intensive supportive care, including rehydration and treatment for symptoms, while their immune systems fought the infection.
“They recovered because they went to the hospital early,” Dr. Belizaire said.
“No country faces Ebola alone”
WHO and the African Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) on Friday launched a joint continental preparedness and response plan to combat the Bundibugyo Ebola outbreak and strengthen preparedness across the continent.
The semiannual plan aims to mobilize 518 million dollars within the framework of a “one response” approach bringing together governments, UN agencies, humanitarian partners and communities.
It supports ongoing national response plans in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Uganda while strengthening preparedness in neighboring countries at risk of cross-border transmission. The plan focuses on emergency coordination, clinical care, research, surveillance and testing, infection prevention and control, community engagement and logistics.
“The only way to defeat this outbreak is through close collaboration…no country faces Ebola alone.”said WHO Director General Tedros.
Africa CDC Director General Jean Kaseya highlighted the urgency of the response, saying: “Ebola is advancing rapidly. Africa must move faster,” said.
Vaccine candidates in development
There is currently no licensed vaccine or approved treatment for the Bundibugyo strain, although candidate vaccines are being developed.
But Dr. Belizaire emphasized that even a vaccine would not replace the need for early detection and treatment.
“The key is, as soon as you have symptoms, go to the health center,” he said.
A survivor’s determination
Among the encounters that have stayed with Dr. Belizaire the most is that of a health care worker who contracted Ebola while caring for a patient. The doctor later recovered.
Rather than leave the profession, he said he intends to continue serving others.
“She said she wouldn’t stop,” Dr. Belizaire recalled. “He said he was born to take care of others and that’s what he will continue to do.”
That story reflects the resilience of health care workers and communities facing the outbreak every day.
Read more about the outbreak here and about ebola symptoms and prevention here.