Ebola Suspected Cases Surge Past 900 in Eastern DR Congo Amid Conflict, WHO Warns

A Virus With No Quick Fix

The current outbreak is driven by the Bundibugyo variant of the Ebola virus, for which there is currently no approved vaccine and no specific medication. According to the WHO, the infection chain can only be interrupted if infected persons are treated under the highest safety standards and their contacts isolate for three weeks.

However, ongoing fighting between government troops and rebel groups has repeatedly displaced people, forcing contacts of infected individuals into overcrowded refugee camps where distancing is impossible. The WHO reports that around 100,000 people were displaced in the past month alone.

Tedros stressed that violence and insecurity are massively hindering medical care and endangering lives. "A ceasefire, even a short one, would save lives," he said.

Displacement Fuels the Outbreak

The African Union health authority has registered 1,077 suspected cases, including 246 deaths. The WHO last reported 223 suspected Ebola deaths since the beginning of the latest outbreak, with 10 deaths confirmed.

New suspected cases are now being reported from both Congo-Kinshasa and neighboring Uganda. The population density in the mining regions of Ituri further increases the risk of transmission.

The WHO is working with partners to accelerate clinical studies on possible vaccines and therapies. Its scientific advisory bodies have already recommended studies on several promising products that could potentially be effective against the Bundibugyo strain, though it will still be several months before possible treatments become available.

Race for Treatments and a Glimmer of Hope

Despite the dire circumstances, Tedros expressed determination. "Together we will overcome this outbreak," he appealed to the population via X, promising to do "everything in my power to help you."

On Wednesday, the WHO reported a first glimmer of hope: a patient had recovered and left the hospital after two negative tests, according to WHO specialist Anaïs Legand.

Humanitarian aid is beginning to arrive. UNICEF reported that 100 tons of relief supplies from the European Union landed in Bunia, including protective equipment for medical personnel, medicines, and hygiene items intended to benefit approximately 100,000 people.

Aid Arrives Amid a Deepening Crisis

Ursula Langkamp, Welthungerhilfe country director in DRC, described the cumulative toll on the population: "The people in eastern Congo have not had peace for years — first hunger, war and displacement, and now also Ebola." Approximately ten million people in the provinces of Ituri, North Kivu, and South Kivu are affected by armed conflicts, displacement, and severely restricted access to humanitarian aid.

The WHO does not support travel bans, stating they "do not achieve much." Nevertheless, the United States has imposed entry restrictions on people from the affected countries. Tedros concluded his appeal by urging that "the survival of people be placed above all else."