India, July 23 -- The International Rescue Committee warns that patients contracting Ebola in Grand Nord Kivu are almost twice as likely to die as those in neighboring regions as conflict and disease collide in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo.
Disproportionate Death Rates and Systemic Failures
Data from the Ministry of Health reveals 2,473 confirmed cases and 999 deaths as of July 20. While neighboring Ituri province averages a 39.9 percent fatality rate, the rate in North Kivu stands at 56 percent, peaking at 68 percent in the city of Beni. This spike occurs as the region records over 300 new cases weekly, with the current Bundibugyo strain lacking any licensed vaccine.
Overwhelmed Facilities and Community Mistrust
Healthcar...