DRC Ebola response cost soars to $1.4bn as cases rise

African health authorities have warned that the cost of responding to the escalating Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) has risen dramatically, with funding requirements now estimated at almost US$1.4 billion – nearly three times the initial projection of $518 million.

The revised estimate aligns with the emergency funding request submitted by the White House to the US Congress earlier this week, underlining growing international concern over the outbreak’s scale and complexity.

According to the latest figures released by the DRC government, 1,155 confirmed Ebola cases had been recorded as of Wednesday, including 304 deaths. Health officials reported 37 new confirmed infections and five additional fatalities within the previous 24 hours.

Authorities attributed the increase in reported cases partly to intensified epidemiological and laboratory surveillance, which has enabled earlier identification of infections. However, officials also warned that community transmission continued to expand on a week-by-week basis.

France recently confirmed its first Ebola case linked to the outbreak in the DRC, involving a returning humanitarian doctor.

As health authorities continue efforts to contain the virus, travel insurance providers are expected to monitor developments closely and review contingency measures for travellers and corporate clients operating in affected regions.