World Health Organization Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said on Thursday that he was travelling to the Democratic Republic of the Congo to support ongoing efforts to contain a deadly Ebola outbreak, as health authorities race to prevent further spread of the virus. In a post on social media platform X, Tedros confirmed he was heading to the country’s eastern region, stating that Ebola had re-emerged in Ituri province, which is currently bearing the brunt of the outbreak. He said he would meet WHO teams, partners, and frontline health workers working alongside the Congolese government to manage the crisis.

According to the latest figures cited by the WHO up to May 24, the outbreak has resulted in 10 confirmed deaths and 223 suspected deaths in the Democratic Republic of the Congo since it was officially declared in mid-May. Authorities have also recorded more than 1,000 confirmed and suspected cases, raising concerns about the scale and spread of the infection. Tedros expressed confidence that the outbreak could be contained, noting that the country has successfully defeated Ebola on 16 previous occasions. “The 17th will be no different,” he said, while emphasising the need for urgent and coordinated action to bring the situation under control.

Health officials, however, have warned that insecurity in eastern Congo is complicating containment efforts. The region has faced decades of conflict, which has weakened health infrastructure and limited access for medical teams. The WHO has cautioned that the true spread of the outbreak may be wider than reported cases, as the virus may have circulated undetected for some time. Compounding the challenge is the nature of the current Ebola strain, Bundibugyo, for which no specific vaccine or treatment is currently available. This has heightened concerns among global health experts about the speed and effectiveness of response measures.

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State presence in parts of Ituri province remains limited, further hindering surveillance, testing, and treatment efforts. The WHO has stressed the importance of rapid coordination between international agencies and local authorities to strengthen outbreak response mechanisms. As emergency teams intensify efforts on the ground, global health authorities are closely monitoring the situation, with the focus now on containment, contact tracing, and preventing the outbreak from escalating into a wider regional health crisis.

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