WHO warns DR Congo Ebola outbreak is outpacing response as Uganda reaches milestone
The WHO reports that the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo is spreading faster than any previous recorded instance. Despite increased treatment capacity and international aid, active conflict and undetected transmission chains continue to hinder containment efforts.
Why it matters
The rapid spread of a highly lethal virus in a conflict zone poses a significant threat to regional and global public health security.
The Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) has become the third largest on record and is spreading faster than any previous one during the first month of exposure, the head of the World Health Organization (WHO) warned on Thursday.
Addressing reporters in Geneva, WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said the two month-old outbreak has continued to expand despite major efforts by the Government, WHO , the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) and other partners.
“ So far, 2,273 cases have been reported, with 796 deaths ,” he said. “By comparison, the 2018–2019 Ebola outbreak in DRC took more than 10 months to reach 2,000 confirmed cases.”
Tedros said intense transmission in Ituri province in DRC’s restive eastern region remains WHO's biggest concern.
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