Three Red Cross Volunteers Die from Suspected Ebola in DR Congo as Outbreak Worsens

Three volunteers working for the Red Cross in the Democratic Republic of the Congo have died from suspected Ebola infections. The organization confirmed the deaths on Saturday, naming the volunteers as Alikana Udumusi Augustin, Sezabo Katanabo, and Ajiko Chandiru Viviane. All three were active in Ituri Province, which has become the epicenter of the country's ongoing Ebola outbreak.

According to a statement from the Red Cross, the volunteers are believed to have contracted the virus while handling deceased bodies during a mission that had nothing to do with Ebola. At the time of that intervention, the statement explains, the local community was not aware that an Ebola outbreak was underway, and the outbreak itself had not yet been officially identified. The organization added that the volunteers lost their lives while serving their communities with courage and humanity.

The three are among the first named victims of the current epidemic, which is being driven by a rare strain known as the Bundibugyo virus. That particular species of Ebola is less common than the Zaire strain but no less deadly when containment measures fail.

The head of the World Health Organization, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, responded to the news by acknowledging that the volunteers had paid the ultimate price while on the line of duty. In a post on X, he emphasized that early identification of cases and timely treatment save lives and are key to bringing the outbreak under control. He also noted that safe and dignified burials are critical to stopping Ebola transmission.

In a separate update issued on Friday, Tedros provided new numbers on the scale of the crisis. He stated that 82 confirmed cases of Ebola had been recorded in the DRC so far, with seven confirmed deaths. But he also warned that the true scale of the epidemic is likely much larger. According to the WHO chief, there are approximately 750 suspected cases and 177 suspected deaths. The DRC's Ministry of Communication and Media offered an even higher estimate, putting the number of suspected deaths at 204 as of Friday.

The outbreak has also jumped across the border. Uganda reported three additional confirmed cases of Ebola on Saturday, bringing the total number of people who have tested positive in that East African nation to five, according to the WHO. This cross-border spread has clearly raised alarm bells.

Earlier this week, the WHO raised its public health risk assessment for the Ebola outbreak in the DRC from "high" to "very high." The global risk, however, remains low for now. That classification could change if the virus continues to move into neighboring countries or reaches major urban centers.

Ebola is a severe and frequently deadly illness that was first identified in 1976. Symptoms typically include fever, weakness, diarrhea, and vomiting. Transmission occurs through direct contact with the bodily fluids of an infected person or through contact with contaminated surfaces and materials. Safe burial practices are considered one of the most effective ways to interrupt transmission chains, which makes the deaths of the Red Cross volunteers – who were engaged in exactly that kind of dangerous work – particularly tragic.

For now, health workers on the ground in Ituri Province continue their efforts with limited resources and a virus that shows no sign of retreating. The three volunteers are no longer here to help. But their names are now part of a growing list of people who have paid for this outbreak with their lives.

Written by Christiane Hofreiter