(Reuters) - The number of confirmed Ebola cases in the Democratic Republic of Congo has increased to 3,075, including 1,354 deaths, government data showed on Saturday.
The number of confirmed cases rose to 3,075, including 1,354 deaths, according to the latest figures.
The Elikya Ebola Treatment Center in Bunia, capital of eastern Ituri province, came to a standstill after doctors, nurses and security staff stopped work, with about 100 workers protesting outside the facility.
The workers said they had not received two months of performance bonuses, undermining morale and disrupting care for patients.
“We need to be paid, because in the meantime the disease is spreading at the treatment center,” said Martin Bolombi, one of the striking health workers.
“I’ve already had five people die who are still inside there. A solution must be found for us,” he added.
In a statement issued Friday, staff said they had unanimously voted to strike until “concrete solutions” were found to resolve the payment backlog.
Dr. Adelard Lufungula, operations manager for the Ebola response, said Saturday that the issue was being resolved, with workers now being paid via mobile money instead of cash. The backlog “should be cleared” in the coming days, he said.
The strike came a day after Prime Minister Judith Suminwa visited Ituri to inspect treatment centers in Rwampara and Mongbwalu, where health workers also raised urgent concerns about unpaid compensation.
Health workers at Bunia General Hospital, the region's largest medical facility, also went on strike last week over unpaid salaries. Some said they had received no payment since joining the outbreak response.
The World Health Organization says more than 100 health workers have been infected since the outbreak began.
Congo has been battling the outbreak, caused by the rare Bundibugyo virus, since May 15. A total of 766 patients remain in isolation or in hospitals, while 540 have recovered, according to the Health Ministry.
Ituri accounts for nearly 90 percent of confirmed cases.
The outbreak has spread faster than health officials can track despite an expanding response. Authorities have yet to identify patient zero, while displacement caused by armed conflict and illegal mining has complicated efforts to trace thousands of people who may have come into contact with infected individuals.
The response has also been hampered by a funding shortfall, attacks on health facilities, ongoing conflict and mistrust among local communities.
Unlike the more common Zaire virus, which caused most of Congo's previous Ebola outbreaks and has an approved vaccine, there are no approved vaccines or treatments for the Bundibugyo virus. Researchers have recently begun enrolling patients in a study of two potential Ebola treatments in Ituri.
The WHO says the global risk of the outbreak spreading beyond Central Africa remains low. Ebola spreads primarily through direct contact with the bodily fluids of an infected person, making it less transmissible than respiratory viruses.