Healthcare workers battling the fast-spreading Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) are facing growing hardship, with some frontline workers reporting unpaid wages and increasing risks of infection.

The outbreak has killed more than 2,500 people and is spreading exponentially across an area larger than France, according to the United Nations. Health workers are under intense pressure as the number of patients continues to rise, while funding for the response is reportedly running low.

Some medical workers said they had not received their full salaries despite working for months under dangerous conditions. The situation has contributed to protests and added further strain to an already overstretched response.

The outbreak has also taken a heavy toll on healthcare workers. About 160 health workers have been infected, with 43 deaths recorded, highlighting the serious dangers faced by those at the frontline.

UN officials have warned that the Ebola outbreak is expanding faster than efforts to contain it. The crisis is being worsened by misinformation, community mistrust, weak infrastructure and years of conflict in affected areas.

The outbreak is caused by the rare Bundibugyo strain of Ebola, for which there are currently no approved treatments or vaccines. Health authorities fear the epidemic could become one of the deadliest Ebola outbreaks in history if urgent funding and stronger international support are not provided.

Despite the challenges, healthcare workers continue to treat patients and work to stop the spread of the deadly virus, even as calls grow for their wages and working conditions to be urgently addressed.