EBOLA OUTBREAK IN DR CONGO ‘FAR FROM UNDER CONTROL’

EBOLA OUTBREAK IN DR CONGO ‘FAR FROM UNDER CONTROL’ — WHO CHIEF WARNS

Nearly 5,000 infections and more than 2,300 deaths reported as Bundibugyo virus spreads across six provinces

By Poet of Afrique Reporter

KINSHASA, DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO — August 19, 2026: The World Health Organization (WHO) has warned that the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) remains “far from being under control,” amid concerns over the rapid spread of the disease and the increasing difficulty of tracing infections.

WHO Director-General, Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, issued the warning during an emergency meeting on the outbreak, saying the epidemic was spreading faster than previous outbreaks and that containment efforts were struggling to keep pace.

According to the WHO, nearly 5,000 people have been infected and more than 2,300 have died across six provinces and 55 health zones.

Dr Tedros said the epidemic had gained a significant head start, leaving health authorities and response teams “playing catch-up” as transmission continues.

One of the major concerns identified by the WHO is that people are dying at home and within their communities, rather than reaching treatment centres. Some deaths are also occurring among people who are not included on known contact lists, making contact tracing and containment more difficult.

The current outbreak involves Bundibugyo virus, a species of Ebola. The outbreak was first confirmed in the DRC in May 2026 after laboratory testing identified the virus among patients in Ituri Province.

The WHO said the outbreak is being fuelled by several factors, including insecurity, population displacement and intense movement along roads, rivers and mining routes.

These challenges have complicated access to affected communities and made surveillance, contact tracing and other containment measures more difficult.

The health agency has urged affected countries and partners to strengthen cross-border cooperation and accelerate response efforts to prevent the outbreak from spreading further.

The warning has raised renewed concerns about the possibility of the disease crossing borders, particularly given the movement of people between the DRC and neighbouring countries.

The WHO said the scale of the outbreak requires sustained international support, stronger surveillance and coordinated action to identify cases early, provide treatment and interrupt chains of transmission.

PHOTO CAPTION

Health workers attend to Ebola patients at a treatment facility in the Democratic Republic of Congo. The WHO has warned that the country's current Ebola outbreak remains far from under control, with nearly 5,000 infections and more than 2,300 deaths reported across six provinces.

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