The fight against the deadly Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) faces a major setback as frontline health workers have threatened to embark on an indefinite strike over months of unpaid salaries and allowances.

The protest comes as the World Health Organization (WHO) warned that the true scale of the outbreak could be between two and four times higher than official figures.

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According to the latest official data released on Tuesday, the outbreak, which was declared on May 15, has claimed more than 700 lives, with nearly 2,000 confirmed infections across the country.

Health workers stationed at the Ebola treatment centre in Rwampara, one of the hardest-hit areas in Ituri Province, staged a protest on Monday by burning tyres and temporarily blocking access to the facility.

“We’ve been treating Ebola patients without pay since May 15. We continue to do so because that is our oath but we are working in very difficult conditions,” doctor Pascal Bahoya said.

Medical personnel at the treatment centre warned that they would begin a “full-scale strike” without maintaining minimum services if authorities fail to honour their 48-hour ultimatum demanding payment of salaries and bonuses.

During a recent visit to Ituri, Health Minister Samuel Roger Kamba admitted that there had been delays in salary payments and assured health workers that the organisational issues responsible for the delay would be resolved.

The outbreak has placed enormous pressure on the country’s fragile healthcare system. According to the National Public Health Institute (INSP), at least 112 healthcare workers have contracted the virus, while 35 have died.

WHO also raised concerns that the epidemic may be significantly larger than official records suggest. Speaking in Geneva, WHO emergencies director Chikwe Ihekweazu said the agency’s modelling indicates “the scale of the outbreak is at least two to four times the number of cases that we have found.”

The Bundibugyo strain of Ebola responsible for the current outbreak has no approved vaccine or specific treatment, although a clinical trial involving two experimental treatments is currently underway.

The disease has spread beyond its epicentre in Ituri to North Kivu, South Kivu, Tshopo and Haut-Uele provinces, while neighbouring Uganda has also recorded 20 cases, including two deaths.

As of July 12, authorities said 727 patients were receiving treatment in Ebola treatment centres across affected regions.

Eastern DRC continues to grapple with decades of armed conflict, mass displacement and poor sanitation, factors that have complicated efforts to contain the virus.

Despite the challenges, the international community has mobilised approximately $1.5 billion to support the country’s Ebola response, although officials say the DRC’s chronically underfunded healthcare system remains under severe strain.

Zambia’s Vice President, Mutale Nalumango, escaped unhurt on Thursday after the helicopter carrying her and seven other people crashed shortly after takeoff while on a campaign tour ahead of the country’s August 13 general election.

Nalumango, 71, said the helicopter went down moments after departing from a campaign rally in the northeastern town of Nakonde.

Speaking to Diamond TV online, she recalled the incident, saying, “After we lifted off, I don’t know whether it was a minute or two… and then we came down.”

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Despite the crash, the vice president said everyone on board survived without injuries.

“We were eight, and all of us are fine,” she said, adding that it was not immediately clear what caused the crash, although the helicopter was badly damaged.

Zambia is set to hold presidential and parliamentary elections on August 13, with President Hakainde Hichilema expected to seek a second term as head of one of Africa’s top copper-producing nations.

Following the incident, the Zambian government said Nalumango underwent a routine medical check-up and was discharged in good health.

Pictures shared on social media showed the white Air Force helicopter lying on its side after it apparently crashed into a tree.
Authorities have yet to establish the cause of the crash.

Florida has officially renamed Palm Beach International Airport after United States President Donald Trump, a move that has drawn both praise and criticism as the president’s name continues to appear on major public landmarks and government institutions.

The airport, now known as President Donald J. Trump International Airport, was officially renamed on Thursday after Florida Governor Ron DeSantis signed the measure into law.

To mark the occasion, Trump’s son, Eric Trump, arrived at the airport aboard the family’s private Boeing 757, popularly known as “Trump Force One.”

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Speaking on Fox News, Eric Trump described the event as “a beautiful day” and said no one was more closely associated with Palm Beach than his father.

“I don’t think there’s anybody more synonymous with Palm Beach than Donald Trump and maybe all of Florida,” he said.

Eric Trump also noted that the main road leading out of the airport is already named President Donald J. Trump Boulevard, adding that visitors arriving in Palm Beach would now see “DJT” on their travel tickets.

“And now anyone flying into Palm Beach will have a ticket where you’re going to see ‘DJT’ in perpetuity,” he said.

The renaming has generated mixed reactions among travellers and local residents.
Corporate pilot Chris Bailey welcomed the decision, saying Trump had “certainly done enough to warrant a name of an airport.”

However, not everyone shared the enthusiasm.

“Palm Beach is a better brand. People don’t really like Donald Trump,” said John Manov, a doctor. “It seems in poor taste.”

The airport renaming is the latest in a series of initiatives aimed at attaching Trump’s name and image to public infrastructure and official government programmes, marking a significant departure from the long-standing U.S. tradition of not honouring living presidents in such ways.

Also on Thursday, U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent was expected to unveil the Donald J. Trump Bridge in Tennessee.

Washington has already seen the renaming of the Donald J. Trump United States Institute of Peace, while large portraits of Trump have appeared on major government buildings.

Although Trump’s name was briefly attached to the Kennedy Arts Center, a judge later ruled the move unlawful.

The administration has also introduced Trump-branded visa and medical programmes.

His image is expected to appear on some U.S. passports and already features on National Parks passes. In addition, a new class of U.S. naval ships has been announced bearing Trump’s name.

In another unprecedented move, the U.S. Treasury says Trump’s signature will appear on U.S. dollar banknotes later this year.

Critics have likened the growing presence of Trump’s name and image on public institutions to personality cults commonly associated with authoritarian governments.

Eric Trump dismissed the criticism, saying, “Anything that bears our name is slightly controversial.”

Asked how the president reacted to the airport being named after him, Eric Trump said Donald Trump was “honored” and “humbled.”