WHO warns Ebola outbreak in DR Congo is 'deeply worrisome'

The head of the World Health Organization (WHO) has described the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo as “deeply worrisome,” warning that the true scale of the epidemic is likely significantly larger than what official confirmed figures currently indicate, News.Az reports, citing Anadolu.

Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus stated in a post on the U.S.-based social media platform X that 82 Ebola cases and seven deaths have been officially confirmed in the DRC. However, he emphasized: “We know the epidemic in the DRC is much larger.”

He further noted that there are now nearly 750 suspected cases and 177 suspected deaths linked to the outbreak.

Regarding the situation in Uganda, Tedros said it is currently stable, with two confirmed cases and one reported death, and added that no new infections or fatalities have been recorded there.

He also reported that an American national working in the Congo had tested positive for Ebola and was subsequently transferred to Germany for treatment, while another American identified as a high-risk contact had reportedly been moved to the Czech Republic.

Tedros stressed that the figures are continuously changing as surveillance and laboratory testing improve, but cautioned that “violence and insecurity are impeding the response.”

He added that additional WHO personnel have been deployed to Ituri province, the epicenter of the outbreak, to support affected communities and coordinate response efforts with local authorities in the affected regions.

News.Az 

By Nijat Babayev