WHO chief visits eastern DR Congo amid Ebola outbreak
Summary
The head of the World Health Organization (WHO), Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, visited Bunia in eastern DR Congo to support efforts against a serious Ebola outbreak. Since mid-May, over 1,000 suspected Ebola cases and 246 deaths have been reported in DR Congo, with a few cases confirmed in neighboring Uganda.Key Facts
- WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus traveled to Bunia, the capital of Ituri province in eastern DR Congo.
- The Ebola outbreak was declared on May 15, 2026, with at least 1,077 suspected cases and 246 deaths in DR Congo.
- Uganda has confirmed nine Ebola cases, including one death, and closed its border with DR Congo to limit the spread.
- The WHO emphasized the need for more international financial support and community cooperation to fight the outbreak.
- The outbreak is severe partly because of limited medical testing capacity and ongoing conflict in the mineral-rich eastern DR Congo.
- One Ebola patient recently recovered and was discharged after testing negative twice, a first in this outbreak.
- Ebola spreads through close contact and bodily fluids and has killed more than 15,000 people in Africa over 50 years.
- Past Ebola outbreaks in DR Congo were devastating, with nearly 2,300 deaths between 2018 and 2020.
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