Ebola hits Bunia market trade as DR Congo death toll passes 2,000

Economic activity in Bunia, the epicentre of the Democratic Republic of Congo's Ebola outbreak, is struggling as the death toll has now exceeded 2,000. The market, once bustling, has seen a sharp decline in customers, leaving traders with unsold stock and shrinking capital.

Jeanine Ngavele, a vegetable seller, said her business has collapsed. "We used to sell our products well before Ebola hit, but now Ebola has disrupted our lives, and people aren't buying as much as they used to," she said. She added that she can go days without selling a single bag of cabbage.

Transport has also been hit. Motorcycle taxis, a lifeline in the city, are now restricted to carrying one passenger at a time to reduce virus spread. Claude Steven Kato, a motorcycle taxi manager, said the rule has slashed earnings. "We're barely making any money, especially with the road tolls we have to pay," he said, noting that fares have become too expensive for many customers.

Health facilities are on alert. At the Medical and Surgical Center of Tokobika, staff are checking temperatures and raising awareness. Director Bienvenu Kambale Vayilanda stressed the need to intensify outreach to the city's outskirts and to those who still deny the disease's presence. "We must step up these awareness efforts so that everyone can receive care as soon as possible," he said.

Official data published overnight showed 4,381 confirmed cases and 2,011 deaths. More than 700 patients are currently in isolation. The outbreak, declared on May 15, is caused by the rare Bundibugyo virus, which has no approved vaccines or treatments. Health authorities say sequencing indicates the virus was circulating as early as February.

The pace of the crisis is quickening. It took roughly nine weeks to reach the first 1,000 deaths, but only about three weeks for that number to double, underscoring how the outbreak is outpacing containment efforts.