Ebola spreading 'fast' in DR Congo, warns World Health Organization
Updated / Friday, 19 Jun 2026 14:05
The WHO has warned that the outbreak is evolving quickly
The fatal Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo is spreading rapidly, the World Health Organization warned, despite accelerating efforts to tackle the virus.
The WHO said it was still racing to catch up with the worsening situation gripping northeastern DRC.
The WHO also said that 75 medics in DR Congo had been infected with Ebola and 17 of them had died since the current outbreak started there.
"The outbreak remains serious" and is "evolving so fast", said Marie-Roseline Belizaire, the WHO Africa emergencies chief.
"However, I have seen a response that is growing stronger every day," she told reporters in Geneva, speaking from Bunia, the capital of the DRC's Ituri province.
The outbreak was declared on 15 May, though transmission had been going undetected for some time.
It is caused by the rare Bundibugyo strain of the virus, for which there is no vaccine.
Many medics were exposed to the disease before they even knew it was present. Even now, health officials say supplies of the basic gear to protect themselves like gloves and masks are running short.
"It is a really high price that the system, the healthcare system, is paying, because we don't have enough of healthcare workers in DRC," Dr Belizaire said.
More than 90% of known cases in the DRC have been in Ituri
Congo has one of the lowest densities of healthcare workers relative to the population, with only about 11 per 10,000 people, WHO data shows. Dr Belizaire said China and Uganda were sending medical teams to the country.
The WHO is giving psychological support to some medics who were too scared to treat patients, having watched many of their colleagues fall ill, she added.
"When they are explaining to you how they live it, how they were infected ... (it) can break your heart," Dr Belizaire said.
There have been 896 confirmed cases so far in the DRC, including 232 confirmed deaths, with 21 new cases in the last 24 hours, according to the latest WHO update.
More than 90% of known cases in the DRC have been in Ituri, a province racked by conflict.
The outbreak has also spread to North Kivu and South Kivu provinces.
Dr Belizaire said the epidemic was evolving so quickly that the response was racing to keep pace with the virus, which spreads by close contact and infected bodily fluids.
The number of treatment beds available for Ebola patients had gone from zero to more than 500, she said.
And surveillance teams were now investigating nearly 400 alerts, and were capable of administering more than 2,000 tests a day, she added.
Dr Belizaire also highlighted that efforts to trace contacts of known Ebola cases had ramped up, with 75% of all contacts now being reached.
The WHO has said 95% of contacts must be traced to get on top of the outbreak.
In neighbouring Uganda, the only other country hit, there have been 19 confirmed cases including two deaths, and 10 recovered patients.
Uganda has reported no new cases for 12 days.
Read the full article at RTÉ News →📄Source document: World Health Organization
3 reports
RTÉ NewsState / PublicCenter2 days agoThe World Health Organization has issued a warning that the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo is spreading rapidly, despite ongoing efforts to contain it. The WHO reported that 75 medical workers have been infected, with 17 fatalities. The outbreak, caused by the rare Bundibugyo strain of the virus, was officially declared on 15 May but had been undetected for some time prior. Healthcare workers are facing shortages of protective equipment, and the situation is described as critical.
Bias read (Center): The article presents factual information without overtly biased language or selective emphasis. It reports directly on the WHO's warnings, the number of infections among medical staff, and challenges such as lack of protective equipment. There is no clear ideological framing or omission of key facts
Official sources cited
- organisation World Health Organization
TheJournal.ieIndependentCenter2 days agoAlmost all passengers and crew of the cruise ship MV Hondius, which experienced a hantavirus outbreak resulting in 12 confirmed and one probable case (including three deaths), are now allowed to return home after completing a 42-day quarantine in the Netherlands. Two Irish individuals who were on board were quarantined in a HSE-run facility. The ship departed from Argentina on 1 April, visited several locations, and arrived in Rotterdam on 18 May.
Bias read (Center): The article provides factual information about the hantavirus outbreak on the MV Hondius, the quarantine measures taken, and the outcomes without showing any clear ideological framing or bias. It reports on the situation objectively, citing the WHO and providing details about the timeline and health
RTÉ NewsState / PublicCenter5 days ago Congo Ebola outbreak could be 'worst ever'The Red Cross has warned that the ongoing Ebola epidemic in the Democratic Republic of Congo has not yet reached its peak and could last for up to a year. Bruno Michon, operations manager for the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, stated that the peak is still ahead. Over 800 cases of the rare Bundibugyo strain have been reported, with 192 fatalities. The disease is spreading rapidly across three provinces, though government data may underrepresent the actual scale of the outbreak. Médecins Sans Frontières noted challenges in testing and a lack of treatment sites
Bias read (Center): The article presents factual information without overtly biased language or selective sourcing. It reports directly on statements from the Red Cross and Médecins Sans Frontières, providing balanced context about the situation in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Official sources cited
- organisation Bruno Michon, operations manager for the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies
- organisation Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF)
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