WHO aims to reverse DR Congo Ebola outbreak in 3 months

The World Health Organization (WHO) aims to halt the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) within three months, though the agency cautioned that the epidemic would persist beyond that timeframe. The outbreak, originating in the conflict-ridden Ituri province, has already surpassed all previous Ebola cases, with 4,499 confirmed infections and 2,061 fatalities.

Abdirahman Mahamud, head of the WHO's emergency response division, expressed optimism that simultaneous implementation of all response measures across five transmission zones would yield a turnaround in three months. However, the UN health agency emphasized that achieving control does not signify the end of the outbreak, as surveillance efforts must persist to prevent a resurgence.

The DRC declared its 17th Ebola outbreak on May 15, prompting the WHO to elevate the situation to a public health emergency of international concern, its second-highest alert level, two days later. The disease has since spread across several provinces in the DRC's northeast and east, where insecurity, limited state presence, and inadequate health infrastructure have impeded the response.

WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus identified improving contact tracing as the top priority, aiming to elevate follow-up rates to 95% from the current 80%. Additionally, the organization plans to triple treatment capacity, targeting 3,000 beds within 12 weeks. Ebola, which transmits through contact with bodily fluids and induces a hemorrhagic fever, has claimed over 15,000 lives in Africa over the past five decades.