The World Health Organization warned that the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo is outpacing response efforts, saying the virus “had gained a big head-start” and health authorities were “still catching up,” WHO Director‑General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said at a press conference in Geneva. Since the outbreak began in mid‑May, the DRC has recorded 344 confirmed cases and 60 deaths.
Tedros, who recently visited Ituri Province — identified by WHO as the epicentre of the outbreak — said he was encouraged by the commitment of local health workers and officials but urged faster action. He praised on‑the‑ground teams for their work while stressing that current measures are not yet sufficient to contain the virus.
The outbreak has spread beyond Ituri to North Kivu and South Kivu provinces and has been reported in neighbouring Uganda, heightening concerns about cross‑border transmission. WHO’s assessment indicates the response needs to accelerate to prevent further spread.
The WHO chief called for an urgent scale‑up of containment efforts, underscoring the need for quicker case identification, contact tracing and coordination with regional partners. Authorities say immediate, faster action is essential to bring the outbreak under control and limit further illness and deaths.
Original Source: https://newsonair.gov.in/who-warns-ebola-outbreak-in-democratic-republic-of-congo-remains-ahead-of-containment-efforts/
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Publish Date: 2026-06-04 06:24:00
