The ‘first line of defence’ against a deadly strain of Ebola has collapsed, Oxfam has said.
The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) is facing its largest ever outbreak of the virus, with nearly 781 infected and 181 dead.
But Oxfam has warned that the true toll is likely far higher as the country’s contact tracing programme and water infrastructure are at breaking point.
Only one in five health centres in the northeastern province of Ituri, the worst-affected region, has access to enough clean water.
In Mongbwalo, a town of 140,000 people, only two in 10 have access to clean water, and a quarter have access to working hygiene facilities.
Manel Rebordosa, Oxfam’s field response coordinator, said this is forcing families to use water contaminated with chemicals from local mines.
‘Water – the absolute first line of defence in any public health emergency – is simply not available,’ he said.
‘Miners working in the surrounding areas have no toilets and handwashing stations. Then they return home to communities already battling the virus.’
Tibakanya Mireille, a mother of five in Ituri, said she is ‘worried’ her child has become infected with Ebola.
‘Here, two houses have been quarantined, and one family lost several relatives after caring for a sick relative, which caused others to be sick,’ she said.
‘The disease has already killed several people in our community of Shari, in Bunia.’
The strain of Ebola virus behind this outbreak, known as Bundibugyo, is rare and has no vaccine or treatment.