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WHO raises alarm over Ebola outbreak, warns it is larger than…
A World Health Organization (WHO) official has warned that the ongoing Ebola outbreak may be spreading faster than initially believed, as new cases continue to emerge in Central Africa.
According to a BBC report, Dr Anne Ancia said that the more investigations are carried out, the clearer it becomes that infections have already reached multiple regions.
Over 500 suspected cases in DR Congo
Health officials said that as of Tuesday, more than 513 suspected Ebola cases have been reported in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, while one death has also been confirmed in neighbouring Uganda.
The outbreak is linked to the Bundibugyo strain of the Ebola virus and has been detected in parts of both countries.
Cross-border spread and difficult terrain
Dr Ancia told BBC World Service Newsday that investigations suggest the virus has already crossed borders and spread to other provinces. She described DR Congo’s Ituri province, the epicentre of the outbreak, as a ‘very unsecured area with lots of movement of population,’ making monitoring and response efforts difficult.
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She also noted that the virus has reached South Kivu province, where communities are already dealing with a long-standing humanitarian crisis.
Concerns over underdetection of cases
A report from the London-based MRC Centre for Global Infectious Disease Analysis has suggested significant underdetection of cases. The study indicated that total infections could already exceed 1000, although exact numbers remain uncertain.
WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus had earlier declared the outbreak an international emergency, saying he is ‘deeply concerned about the scale and speed of the epidemic.’
In comments reported by the Associated Press, infectious disease specialist Dr Celine Gounder said that medical preparedness remains limited. She noted that ‘there’s nothing even close to ready for clinical trials,’ adding that responders and healthcare workers are ‘back to the basics’ in handling the outbreak.
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To prevent further spread, several neighbouring countries, including Rwanda, have closed their borders with DR Congo. The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is also working to evacuate six Americans who were exposed to an infected individual showing symptoms.
India reviewing preparedness measures
Meanwhile, a senior official from India’s Ministry of Health and Family Welfare said the Indian government is closely monitoring the Ebola situation after the WHO declared it a Public Health Emergency of International Concern.
India has reviewed standard operating procedures for screening, surveillance, quarantine and case management. The National Institute of Virology in Pune has been designated as the nodal laboratory for Ebola testing, with more labs expected to be added in phases.
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First published on: May 19, 2026 08:15 PM IST
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