The World Health Organization (WHO) says ongoing conflict, funding pressures and international travel restrictions are complicating efforts to contain a fast-growing Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
More than 1,000 suspected cases and over 240 suspected deaths have been reported in the DRC since the outbreak was declared on 15 May. The outbreak, caused by the rare Bundibugyo strain of Ebola, has already spread across multiple provinces and into neighbouring Uganda.
Speaking to AnewZ from Congo-Brazzaville, Dr. Patrick Otim, Programme Area Manager for Emergency Response at the WHO Regional Office for Africa, said the outbreak is expanding rapidly but health authorities are intensifying efforts to contain it.
“As of today in DRC, we have had 121 confirmed cases with 17 deaths,” Dr. Otim said. “But we have also recorded over 1,077 suspected cases and among these suspected cases, 246 deaths have been recorded.”
He added that confirmed infections are currently spread across 13 health zones in three provinces.
“The disease has been spreading very fast, like our Director-General has said, and we are trying to play catch-up.”
The outbreak is unfolding in eastern Congo, where insecurity and armed conflict have made response efforts more difficult.
The WHO has already called for an immediate ceasefire, warning that violence is hampering surveillance, treatment and community outreach in affected regions.
Dr. Otim confirmed that temporary Ebola treatment facilities had recently come under attack.
“There have been two attacks that have been recorded at the treatment facilities,” he said. “Ebola outbreak is always associated with a lot of emotions, fear and misinformation.”
Dr. Patrick Otim, WHO Programme Area Manager for Emergency Response
He said the WHO and its partners were now intensifying community engagement with youth groups, women’s organisations and religious leaders to rebuild trust and prevent further violence.
“In the last four or five days, we have not had any new incident since the last one that happened,” he said.
Unlike the more common Zaire strain of Ebola, there is currently no approved vaccine for the Bundibugyo strain.
Dr. Otim explained that the absence of a vaccine has forced health workers to rely heavily on contact tracing and surveillance.
“If we had a vaccine like we had for the Zaire species, we would then go quickly with the vaccine,” he said.
Instead, authorities are carrying out a “painstaking epidemiological investigation” to identify and monitor contacts for 21 days.
“It makes the work a little bit difficult. It also makes it more resource-intensive,” he added.
The WHO says laboratory testing has also been slowed by limited diagnostic capacity. Current testing platforms can only process a small number of samples each day, though additional mobile laboratories are now being deployed.
“We do agree that the turnaround time for the lab samples has not been as fast as we want it to be,” Dr. Otim said.
The outbreak comes amid broader global funding pressures affecting humanitarian and public health operations.
Dr. Otim acknowledged that recent reductions in international health funding had affected both governments and operational partners, but said emergency response efforts were still being prioritised.
“The overall global reduction in funding has impacted across the board,” he said.
The WHO has appealed for $115 million to support operations in the DRC, Uganda and 10 neighbouring countries considered at high risk of spread, including Rwanda, Burundi, Kenya, Tanzania and South Sudan.
The WHO Director-General released $3.9m from the organisation's Contingency Fund for Emergencies within the first two days of the outbreak being confirmed. The UK government, through the FCDO and Germany have also contributed funds.
According to Dr. Otim, only around 10% of the required funding has so far been mobilised.
He warned that international travel bans and flight restrictions could further complicate the response by disrupting the delivery of protective equipment and medical supplies.
On travel bans introduced by the United States, Canada and the Bahamas, Dr. Otim was measured but direct. "When we have blanket travel bans, it makes it very difficult to get the supplies and the resources that are needed into the country," he said. "It prolongs the outbreak - and that's what the Director-General and the IHR Emergency Committee have advised against."
Health officials are also trying to balance strict infection prevention measures with local cultural and religious practices, particularly around funerals.
Dr. Otim said the WHO now uses “safe and dignified burial” teams that work directly with local communities and religious leaders.
“The family will be allowed to stand at a safe distance, to be able to offer last prayers,” he said.
He warned that unsafe funerals have historically acted as “super spreaders” during Ebola outbreaks.
Despite growing international concern, Dr. Otim stressed that the outbreak is not another COVID-19-style pandemic.
“There is no need for panic,” he said. “We know what should be done as public health workers to control this outbreak.”
He noted that this is the 17th Ebola outbreak in the DRC and the eighth in Uganda, giving health authorities significant experience in outbreak management.
“What we need is solidarity and support for the very hardworking, resilient and professional experts that we have from DRC and from Uganda,” he said.
“We all ask for solidarity and support to contain the outbreak.”
U.S. special envoys Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff have held talks with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Kyiv on Sunday on efforts to en...
Iran has warned it will retaliate against any future U.S. attacks, saying American energy interests and infrastructure across the Gulf could become...
Baku Climate Action Week (BCAW) 2026 has begun in Azerbaijan’s capital, bringing together government representatives, business leaders, inves...
An eruption of Indonesia’s Mount Anak Krakatau has disrupted air travel, school activities and fishing operations, with hundreds of passengers stranded at Jakarta’s main airport on Sunday.
At least five people were killed and five others injured when an Amazon Prime Air cargo plane overran a runway and crashed while landing at Miami International Airport on Sunday, 6 September, local officials said.
Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf said on Sunday that the United States must recognise that the “rules of the game” in its war against Iran had changed “before it is too late”, a day after Washington struck several Iranian tankers in the Gulf.
Two Greek military pilots were killed on Saturday when an F-4 Phantom fighter jet crashed during an air show at Tanagra air base, north of Athens, officials said.
U.S. special envoys Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff have held talks with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Kyiv on Sunday on efforts to end Russia’s war in Ukraine.
U.S. special envoys Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff have held talks with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Kyiv on Sunday on efforts to end Russia’s war in Ukraine.
A battle over the future of the European Union’s diplomatic service is deepening divisions over who controls the bloc’s foreign policy, as EU foreign affairs chief Kaja Kallas pushes back against plans to overhaul her service.
The Strait of Hormuz is moving into a more complicated stage of the U.S.-Iran war. Tehran says it will establish a new restricted maritime zone around the waterway, while Iran and Oman are preparing to formalise a separate shipping route intended to restore at least part of commercial traffic.
The European Union is preparing to boost investment in Greenland, as Brussels moves to deepen political and economic ties with the Arctic territory amid growing strategic competition involving the U.S., Russia and China.
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has said a newly commissioned destroyer will become part of the country's nuclear response system, capable of delivering what he described as “annihilating retaliatory strikes”.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment