Violence and displacement in the DR Congo are hampering efforts to contain the virus, according to Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus
The Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo has expanded to more than 900 suspected cases, with 101 infections confirmed so far, according to the World Health Organization (WHO).
Kinshasa declared the epidemic on May 15, marking the country’s 17th recorded Ebola crisis since the virus was first identified there in 1976. Two days later, the WHO classified the Bundibugyo strain detected in the DR Congo and neighboring Uganda as a public health emergency of international concern, while stopping short of declaring a pandemic-level emergency.
In a post on X on Sunday, WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus warned that violence and mass displacement in Ituri province – the epicenter of the epidemic – are severely complicating efforts to contain the virus.
“Nearly 5 million people live amid conflict. Today, 1 in 4 people are in need of humanitarian assistance, and 1 in 5 are internally displaced,” Tedros wrote, warning that the situation has “severely” impeded efforts to expand contact tracing and detect infections early enough to provide supportive care.
Ghebreyesus added that the WHO and its partners continue to operate in some of Ituri’s most insecure and hard-to-reach areas, where communities are facing not only Ebola but also a broader health crisis involving multiple diseases.
“Delivering a comprehensive package of healthcare services is essential,” he wrote, saying broader medical assistance is critical to building trust and strengthening the response.
The Bundibugyo virus is a rare strain of Ebola first identified in Uganda in 2007, which reportedly kills about one-third of those infected. Scientists believe it is carried by fruit bats and spreads through contact with infected animals and bodily fluids. No approved vaccine is currently available for the strain.
British scientists are now reportedly fast-tracking an experimental vaccine based on technology developed during the Covid-19 pandemic. Researchers say the shot could be ready for clinical trials within months, although its effectiveness remains unknown.
While the WHO upgraded the risk from the current Ebola outbreak from “high” to “very high” within the Democratic Republic of the Congo, it remains low internationally.
