How Congo's Ebola outbreak became the second-most lethal on record

The World Health Organization's chief has declared the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) far from being under control, warning that it could spread to other countries. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, speaking at an emergency meeting, stated that the epidemic has a significant lead and the team is still playing catch-up.

Over 2,300 people have died out of nearly 5,000 cases, making this the deadliest outbreak in the country's history. The outbreak, which began on May 15, is believed to have been spreading for several weeks before it was declared a Public Health Emergency of International Concern by the WHO on May 17. The DRC's 17th Ebola outbreak has hit regions in the north and east where the government's presence is weak, health infrastructure is poor, and armed groups have operated for decades.

The WHO currently assesses the public health risk as "very high" in the DRC, "high" in Uganda, and "low" elsewhere. Cases have been reported in six DRC provinces near the border with South Sudan, as well as in neighboring Uganda. Tedros warned that the risk of further spread remains high, adding that the current outbreak is progressing faster than any previous Ebola outbreak.