The World Health Organization (WHO) has raised the alarm over the unprecedented spread of Ebola in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), two months after the outbreak was declared. The situation has escalated to become the third-largest Ebola epidemic ever recorded, with transmission rates now outpacing previous outbreaks.

The WHO Director-General, Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, emphasized during a press briefing in Geneva that the current situation in the DRC is the most concerning yet. “The epidemic in the DRC has now become the third largest Ebola outbreak ever recorded. In just one month, it has spread faster than any previous outbreak,” he stated.

As of today, 2,073 cases have been confirmed, including 796 fatalities. This marks a stark contrast to the 2018-2019 outbreak, which took over ten months to reach a similar number of cases.

The epicenter of the crisis: Ituri Province

The Ituri Province remains the hardest-hit region, where over 80% of new cases are detected outside known contact tracing lists. This indicates that unidentified transmission chains are still active. Alarmingly, two-thirds of deaths occur within communities, with many individuals never receiving medical care in healthcare facilities.

Challenges in containment and response

The rapid spread has been exacerbated by ongoing armed conflicts, which severely hinder access to affected areas. Just yesterday, a treatment center in Bunia, Ituri’s capital, was attacked, further complicating response efforts. The WHO and its partners, including the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC), continue to support the DRC government in scaling up the response.

Despite these challenges, there have been some encouraging developments. Treatment capacity has expanded to over 800 beds, laboratory testing capabilities have increased from one to 16 facilities, and contact tracing has reached nearly 80%. Additionally, more than 21,000 community workers are being trained, and safe burial practices have significantly improved.

Hope on the horizon: Research and recovery

Innovative research initiatives are underway, including clinical trials for potential treatments such as the monoclonal antibody MBP134 and the antiviral remdesivir. Earlier this month, the first safety trial of the ChAdOx1 vaccine, developed by the University of Oxford, was launched. Meanwhile, an antiviral obeldesivir trial for post-exposure prophylaxis is being conducted by the DRC’s National Institute for Biomedical Research.

Even without approved vaccines or treatments, 377 individuals have recovered from the virus, proving that early diagnosis and proper care can lead to survival and containment of the disease.

Uganda’s progress contrasts with DRC’s struggles

While Uganda has made significant strides—with its last confirmed patient discharged today, marking the beginning of a 42-day countdown to declaring the end of its outbreak—the DRC continues to face immense challenges. The current epidemic in the DRC has spread faster than the response efforts can contain it, with armed conflicts acting as a major obstacle.

“We are facing not only technical challenges but also a critical need for political intervention to facilitate the urgent scale-up of our response,” Dr. Tedros stressed. “Our immediate priorities are to reduce transmission in Ituri by strengthening surveillance, ensuring safe and dignified burials, improving clinical care, and engaging communities.”

Since the outbreak was declared on May 17, the WHO classified the Ebola strain Bundibugyo—which has since spread to Uganda—as a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC). The epidemic has since expanded geographically, with the true scope of the outbreak potentially underreported due to population mobility, weak health systems, and limited access to conflict-affected areas.

The DRC authorities have reassured the public, highlighting ongoing efforts in collaboration with national and international partners to contain the epidemic. The country’s experience in managing health crises—having successfully contained 16 previous Ebola outbreaks—serves as a testament to its resilience and capacity to handle such emergencies.