DR Congo Ebola outbreak ‘far from being under control’, says WHO chief

The Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) is rapidly spreading and poses a significant threat of spreading to more countries, according to the World Health Organization (WHO) chief, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus. Speaking at a media briefing in Geneva, Ghebreyesus stressed that the epidemic is far from being under control, describing it as having a "big head start" and the team still playing "catch-up."

The 17th Ebola outbreak in the DRC, declared on May 15, has claimed over 2,300 lives out of nearly 5,000 cases, making it the deadliest in the country's history. The outbreak, which began in several weeks prior to the declaration, has primarily impacted regions in the north and east, where state presence is weak, health infrastructure is lacking, and armed groups have been active.

Tedros highlighted that the spread of the virus is being exacerbated by insecurity, displacement, and intense population movement along roads, rivers, and mining routes. He called for international cooperation in tackling the outbreak and announced that new recommendations would be issued to the DRC and other countries at risk in the coming days.

The Ebola virus spreads through contact with bodily fluids and causes a severe hemorrhagic fever. According to the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the current outbreak is moving faster than any previous Ebola outbreak, with cases and deaths exceeding those in the largest outbreak in history by three times and five times, respectively, three months after its declaration.

The WHO has declared the outbreak a Public Health Emergency of International Concern, its second-highest alert level. Six DRC provinces, including areas near the South Sudan border, and neighboring Uganda have reported cases. The risk of further national and international spread remains high, with the WHO assessing the public health risk level as "very high" in the DRC, "high" for Uganda and other bordering nations, and "low" for the rest of Africa and the world.

Despite ongoing efforts, there is currently no specific vaccine or treatment for the Bundibugyo strain responsible for the current surge. WHO experts are focused on locating where people are dying, as this helps identify the chain of transmission that has not been broken yet. They also urge communities to address the rise in cases and deaths, emphasizing the need for alternative strategies to combat the epidemic.