The head of the World Health Organization has travelled to the Democratic Republic of Congo to support efforts to contain a deadly Ebola outbreak that has already claimed hundreds of suspected and confirmed lives.
WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said the outbreak in eastern DR Congo was worsening amid insecurity in the region, where decades of armed conflict have weakened healthcare services and complicated emergency.
According to the WHO, at least 10 confirmed and 223 suspected Ebola deaths have been recorded since the outbreak was declared earlier this month. More than 1,000 confirmed and suspected cases have also been reported.
“On my way to DRC. Ebola is back. Ituri province is bearing the brunt,” Tedros wrote on X.
“I will be on the ground with our WHO teams, partners, and the extraordinary health workers who have never stopped fighting, all working under the leadership of the government of DRC,” he added.
Tedros expressed confidence that the country could overcome the outbreak despite the challenges.
“Sixteen times, this country has defeated Ebola. The 17th will be no different. But we must act now, together,” he said.
The current outbreak involves the Bundibugyo strain of Ebola, for which there is currently no approved vaccine or treatment.
Health officials fear the virus may have spread more widely than reported, warning that the outbreak may have circulated undetected for some time before authorities confirmed cases.
The outbreak was first identified in Ituri province in northeastern DR Congo, where state services have remained limited for decades because of persistent violence and instability.
The WHO says insecurity in the region is making it difficult for health workers to trace contacts, isolate cases and deliver emergency medical support.
