Ebola spreading faster in Congo than any previous outbreak – WHO

The World Health Organization (WHO) has warned that the ongoing Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) is spreading faster than any previous outbreak of the deadly virus, with more than 2,000 confirmed cases and 796 deaths recorded within two months.

Speaking at a press briefing, WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said the outbreak has become the third-largest Ebola epidemic on record. According to Tedros, the current outbreak reached more than 2,000 confirmed cases in just two months, compared with the country’s 2018–2020 Ebola outbreak, which took more than 10 months to reach the same number. “In the past month, it has expanded faster than any previous outbreak,” he warned.

The Democratic Republic of Congo declared its 17th Ebola outbreak on May 15 after several deaths were reported in the northeastern province of Ituri, a mineral-rich region that has long been affected by armed conflict. Since then, confirmed cases have been detected in five provinces across the DRC, while infections have also spread to neighbouring Uganda.

The outbreak is being caused by the Bundibugyo strain of the Ebola virus, a rare species for which there is currently no approved vaccine or specific treatment. Although health authorities have intensified response efforts, Tedros warned that significant gaps remain in surveillance and case detection.

“More than 80% of new cases are being detected outside known contact lists, showing that transmission chains are still being missed,” he said. He added that delayed access to healthcare was contributing to the rising death toll. “About two-thirds of deaths are occurring in communities among people who never received care in a health facility,” he said.

Tedros said one of the greatest challenges facing the response is the insecurity in the affected areas, noting that ongoing armed conflict continues to hamper disease control efforts. “One of the biggest concerns was the complex environment in which the outbreak is happening,” he said.

He also disclosed that an Ebola treatment centre in Bunia, the capital of Ituri Province, was attacked on Wednesday, raising further concerns over the safety of healthcare workers and the continuity of response operations.

Ebola is a highly infectious viral disease transmitted through direct contact with the bodily fluids of infected people or contaminated materials. Symptoms include fever, severe weakness, vomiting, diarrhoea and, in severe cases, internal and external bleeding. The disease can be fatal without prompt medical care.