Health workers in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo are struggling to contain a deadly Ebola outbreak that has killed 82 people and infected 452 others, according to Congolese authorities. The outbreak, officially confirmed by Congo's Ministry of Health on May 15, has been centered in the mining town of Mongbwalu in Ituri province.

Dr. Richard Lokudu, medical director of Mongbwalu General Referral Hospital, said he and his colleagues have received little compensation for their work treating the influx of patients. "I have not received my allowance and what happened to others could happen to me as well," Lokudu told The Associated Press, noting that some health workers and first responders have died from the disease.

The outbreak involves the rare Bundibugyo strain of Ebola, for which no approved vaccines or treatments exist. Health authorities believe the virus spread silently for weeks before detection in Mongbwalu, a bustling mining area that attracts large numbers of laborers working in gold mines. The crowded living conditions and limited access to proper health protocols have facilitated transmission of the virus, which spreads through close contact with bodily fluids.

On Thursday, Congo recorded 71 new cases in a single day, which authorities described as a sign of "active community transmission." World Health Organization Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said the disease "had a big head start" because hospitals initially could not test for the correct Ebola strain. At least five people have recovered since the outbreak's confirmation.

Health workers are operating with minimal resources, initially facing shortages of masks, gloves, boots and medications. Alice Bamuhinga, a nurse at Mongbwalu hospital, described working conditions where staff "only eat once a day, what amounts to breakfast in the evening." The situation has been complicated by widespread skepticism about the disease among local communities and ongoing conflict in the region involving government forces, Rwanda-backed M23 rebels, and Islamist militants.

On Friday, the WHO launched a $518 million plan to combat the outbreak. Tedros emphasized that "containing Ebola depends on political commitment, sustained financing, and the trust and engagement of communities." The response has also involved rangers from nearby Virunga National Park, known for its endangered mountain gorillas, who are working to prevent the virus from spreading to wildlife populations.