Mining has provided the economic foundation for a distant Congolese town for numerous years. Presently, it also contributes to the proliferation of a severe outbreak.
Red Cross teams have been involved in removing the disinfected body of a miner, Mumbere Saidi, in Mongbwalu, situated in the Democratic Republic of Congo, as of last week.
The outbreak’s focal point lies in this region, as reported by Declan Walsh and visualized by Arlette Bashizi from a gold mine in Mongbwalu.
June 5, 2026
Mumbere Saidi relocated from his farm due to an assault by a local Islamic State affiliate. He journeyed 200 miles to the gold mines in the northeastern Democratic Republic of Congo, passing through a perilous war zone.
In this isolated mining town, he undertook strenuous gold-panning work. When circumstances favored him, Saidi, aged 27, could send a smaller amount of money back to his family. During tougher periods, he faced challenges providing for his wife and young daughter.
He felt secure for a time until an unseen threat, Ebola, affected him recently. His brother, Kondu Ganda, also a miner, referred to the disease using a common euphemism, as many townsfolk avoid mentioning it directly.
The Red Cross workers in protective gear took Mr. Saidi’s body out of their modest home and placed it in a coffin with care.
For over a hundred years, gold has been essential to Mongbwalu, attracting employment seekers from Congo and beyond. Yet, this town has now become the starting point of a severe Ebola outbreak affecting this area, with the mining industry playing a role in its spread.
Specialists now argue that the outbreak, which stands as the third largest on record, initially occurred in Mongbwalu as early as February but remained undetected by authorities until May 15. This oversight occurred partly due to the involvement of the Bundibugyo virus, a lesser-known strain lacking available treatment.
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