The Director-General of the World Health Organization (WHO), Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, issued a stark warning this Thursday, July 16, about the escalating Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). Two months after the epidemic was officially declared, he emphasized that the spread of the virus has reached unprecedented levels, marking it as the third-largest Ebola outbreak ever recorded.

Speaking at a press conference in Geneva, Switzerland, Dr. Tedros highlighted the rapid acceleration of the epidemic. “Yesterday marked two months since the DRC government declared the Ebola outbreak. Since then, the epidemic has spread rapidly. It is now the third-largest Ebola epidemic ever recorded, and its progression over the past month has been faster than in any previous outbreak,” he stated.

To date, 2,073 cases have been reported, including 796 deaths. For comparison, the 2018-2019 Ebola outbreak in the DRC took more than ten months to reach 2,000 confirmed cases.

Intense transmission in Ituri Province

The situation remains particularly dire in Ituri Province, where transmission remains highly active. “Our biggest concern is the intense transmission in Ituri Province. More than 80% of new cases are detected outside known contact lists, indicating that unidentified transmission chains persist. Approximately two-thirds of deaths occur in communities, among people who never access care in a health facility,” Dr. Tedros explained.

Challenges in response efforts

Despite the scale of the crisis, WHO, in partnership with the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) and other collaborators, continues to support the Congolese government in intensifying the response. Treatment capacity has now exceeded 800 beds and continues to grow. Laboratory capacity has expanded from one to 16 facilities. Contact tracing has reached nearly 80%, and over 21,000 community agents are undergoing training. Safe and dignified burial practices have also significantly improved.

While progress has been made in research and treatment, the lack of approved vaccines and treatments remains a critical gap. However, 377 patients have recovered, demonstrating that early diagnosis and appropriate care can save lives.

Political intervention urgently needed

The ongoing conflict in the affected regions has severely hampered access to care and slowed the response. “The armed conflict hinders access to affected areas and slows the response. Just yesterday, a treatment center in Bunia was attacked. We face technical challenges, but we also urgently need political intervention to facilitate the necessary escalation of our efforts,” Dr. Tedros emphasized.

Immediate priorities include reducing transmission in Ituri by strengthening surveillance, ensuring safe and dignified burials, improving clinical care, and mobilizing communities. Additionally, response capacities must be bolstered in newly affected provinces before transmission becomes entrenched there.

The Ebola outbreak, caused by the Bundibugyo strain, was declared on May 17 and classified by WHO as a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC) just two days later. The epidemic has expanded geographically, and its true scale may be underestimated due to population mobility, fragile health systems, insufficient infrastructure, and access challenges in conflict-affected areas.

Despite these challenges, DRC authorities remain resolute, citing the country’s experience in managing health crises. The DRC has successfully contained 16 previous Ebola outbreaks, and efforts continue with national and international partners to bring this latest crisis under control.