World Health Organisation Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus has urged stronger international support to contain a fast-spreading Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), warning that delays in response and mistrust within communities are hampering efforts to control the virus.Tedros made the appeal on Saturday after arriving in Bunia, the capital of Ituri province, one of the worst-hit areas.Speaking to reporters, he said the international community was already assisting the DRC government but stressed that more funding and stronger community engagement were urgently needed.“We are here to discuss with the community, to see how the response is running and if there are challenges to help,” Tedros said, according to news agency AFP.He added, “You’re not alone in this. We’re here, we’re with you, and we will see this through together.”
Calls for trust-building amid rising cases
Tedros emphasised that controlling the outbreak would require what he described as “community ownership”, including addressing misinformation and mistrust around the disease response.He also said that while international assistance was important, local cooperation remained critical. “There is experience in this country and under the government’s leadership, and especially with community ownership, we can stop it,” he said, as per AFP.The WHO chief further urged countries that have imposed travel restrictions or border closures to reconsider such steps, saying they could discourage reporting and transparency that are essential to controlling the outbreak.“The Democratic Republic of Congo has faced Ebola before, 16 times, and has ended every outbreak. This is the 17th. That history gives me real confidence,” Tedros said at a press conference, as per news agency AP.
Rapid spread across Congo and Uganda
The outbreak, caused by the highly contagious haemorrhagic fever Ebola, has already spread across three eastern DRC provinces and into neighbouring Uganda. According to Africa CDC figures, there have been at least 1,077 suspected cases and 246 deaths in the DRC since the outbreak was declared on May 15, along with nine confirmed infections and one death in Uganda.Health officials warn the true scale of the outbreak may be significantly larger due to limited testing capacity and insecurity in the region.
Aid efforts and challenges on the ground
Medical aid is beginning to arrive in Bunia, including supplies from the European Union, while the United States has also announced additional funding support. However, humanitarian agencies say the response is still struggling to keep pace with the outbreak’s spread.Doctors Without Borders (MSF) warned that the outbreak is advancing faster than the response, saying, “Never before has an Ebola outbreak recorded so many cases so soon after its declaration”.The organisation called for expanded testing, faster deployment of health workers and improved access for medical supplies.Health facilities in Ituri province have reported ongoing challenges, including insecurity, limited infrastructure and repeated attacks on medical centres, further complicating response operations.
Vaccine search and containment measures
The Ebola strain behind the outbreak, Bundibugyo virus, currently has no approved treatment or vaccine. However, health authorities said potential vaccines are being evaluated for clinical trials, and a candidate may be ready later this year.For now, WHO says containment relies on traditional measures such as surveillance, contact tracing, isolation, infection prevention and safe burial practices.Uganda has closed its border with the DRC and imposed quarantine measures for arrivals, while displacement camps in eastern Congo remain at high risk due to overcrowding and poor sanitation, raising fears of further spread.
