WHO Says Congo Still ‘Behind’ in Ebola Fight Despite Improved Testing
The World Health Organization (WHO) has warned that the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) remains behind in its efforts to contain the country’s latest Ebola outbreak, even though testing and diagnosis have improved significantly. WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said health authorities are making progress, but the outbreak continues to spread faster than some response measures can keep up.
The outbreak, caused by the rare Bundibugyo strain of the Ebola virus, has infected hundreds of people across eastern Congo and has also spread into neighboring Uganda. According to WHO data, the DRC has recorded more than 340 confirmed cases and around 60 deaths, while Uganda has reported additional infections and at least one death.
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Health officials say expanded laboratory capacity has helped reduce testing backlogs and rule out many suspected cases. However, WHO leaders stress that major challenges remain, particularly in contact tracing. Only about 45% of known contacts are currently being monitored, making it difficult to stop transmission chains.
Violence and insecurity in eastern Congo continue to hamper response efforts. Attacks by armed groups and incidents targeting Ebola response teams have disrupted medical operations, delayed burials, and increased the risk of further infections. Community mistrust and misinformation about the disease have also made containment more difficult.
Despite these setbacks, WHO officials highlighted some encouraging signs, including a decline in suspected cases and several patient recoveries. The agency is urging greater international support, increased funding, and stronger surveillance measures to prevent the outbreak from worsening. WHO estimates that millions of dollars will be needed over the coming months to strengthen treatment, testing, and community outreach programs. (Reuters)
Tedros emphasized that while testing improvements are helping health workers catch up, the global health community must act quickly to fully contain the outbreak and prevent further regional spread.
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