{
  "id": 705388,
  "title": "WHO aims to reverse DR Congo Ebola outbreak in 3 months",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/12/who-aims-to-reverse-dr-congo-ebola-outbreak-in-3-months",
  "topic": "health",
  "section": "Health & Medicine",
  "published": "2026-08-12T21:08:45.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Free Malaysia Today",
    "slug": "free-malaysia-today",
    "url": "https://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/highlight/2026/08/13/who-aims-to-reverse-dr-congo-ebola-outbreak-in-3-months"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "The World Health Organization (WHO) has set a three-month target to curb the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), according to a report on Wednesday. However, the health agency cautioned that ending the epidemic would not occur within that timeframe. The current Ebola outbreak, which originated in the conflict-ridden Ituri province, has seen a rapid spread, with 4,499 confirmed cases and 2,061 deaths as of now.\n\nAbdirahman Mahamud, the head of the WHO's emergency response division, stated that if all elements of the response are deployed simultaneously across the five transmission zones, a turnaround is anticipated in three months. The UN health agency emphasized that controlling transmission does not signify the end of the outbreak; surveillance efforts must persist to avert future surges.\n\nThe 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. Since then, the disease has propagated across multiple provinces in the country's northeast and east, where insecurity, limited state presence, and limited health infrastructure have impeded the response.\n\nWHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus identified improving contact tracing as the primary operational challenge, aiming to raise follow-up rates from the current 80% to 95%. Additionally, the organization plans to triple treatment capacity, with a goal of 3,000 beds within 12 weeks. Ebola, a highly contagious virus transmitted through contact with bodily fluids, causes a severe hemorrhagic fever. Over the past five decades, the virus has claimed more than 15,000 lives in Africa.",
  "summary": "Improving contact tracing remains the 'priority operational challenge', with follow-up rates targeted at 95%, up from around 80%.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 12,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "Winnipeg Free Press",
        "title": "This Ebola outbreak has claimed over 2,000 lives. Here’s why it is so hard to contain",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/11/this-ebola-outbreak-has-claimed-over-2-000-lives-heres-why-it-is-so",
        "published": "2026-08-11T14:19:24.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Associated Press",
        "title": "This Ebola outbreak has claimed over 2,000 lives. Here’s why it is so hard to contain",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/11/this-ebola-outbreak-has-claimed-over-2-000-lives-heres-why-it-is-so-576128",
        "published": "2026-08-11T14:23:02.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "The Mainichi",
        "title": "This Ebola outbreak has claimed over 2,000 lives. Here's why it is so hard to contain",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/12/this-ebola-outbreak-has-claimed-over-2-000-lives-heres-why-it-is-so",
        "published": "2026-08-12T00:30:04.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "MyJoyOnline Ghana",
        "title": "New transmission from animals likely caused Congo-Uganda Ebola outbreak, study says",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/12/new-transmission-from-animals-likely-caused-congo-uganda-ebola",
        "published": "2026-08-12T04:21:00.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Mongabay",
        "title": "As DRC confronts largest Ebola outbreak, health agencies revise strategy",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/12/as-drc-confronts-largest-ebola-outbreak-health-agencies-revise",
        "published": "2026-08-12T11:11:13.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Al Jazeera",
        "title": "DR Congo Ebola outbreak set to become deadliest on record, WHO warns",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/12/dr-congo-ebola-outbreak-set-to-become-deadliest-on-record-who-warns",
        "published": "2026-08-12T18:23:25.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Qatar Tribune",
        "title": "WHO warns of a record-breaking Ebola outbreak in the Congo",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/12/who-warns-of-a-record-breaking-ebola-outbreak-in-the-congo",
        "published": "2026-08-12T21:00:00.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Free Malaysia Today",
        "title": "WHO aims to reverse DR Congo Ebola outbreak in 3 months",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/12/who-aims-to-reverse-dr-congo-ebola-outbreak-in-3-months-707364",
        "published": "2026-08-12T21:08:45.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "BBC World",
        "title": "Ebola outbreak on track to be deadliest ever, WHO chief says",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/13/ebola-outbreak-on-track-to-be-deadliest-ever-who-chief-says",
        "published": "2026-08-13T01:31:21.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Euronews",
        "title": "Congo’s Ebola outbreak on track to surpass deadliest in history, WHO chief says",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/13/congos-ebola-outbreak-on-track-to-surpass-deadliest-in-history-who",
        "published": "2026-08-13T04:30:40.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "People Daily Kenya",
        "title": "Ebola outbreak on track to be deadliest ever, WHO chief says",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/13/ebola-outbreak-on-track-to-be-deadliest-ever-who-chief-says-746337",
        "published": "2026-08-13T07:39:07.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}