WHO Chief: Five Recover from Ebola in Congo, Work Continues on Vaccines

Five people in the Democratic Republic of Congo have recovered from a rare strain of Ebola, according to the head of the World Health Organization (WHO). Tedros Adhanom Gebreyesus announced the recovery during a visit to the outbreak's epicenter in Ituri province.

"Four people will be discharged today, and one was discharged the day before yesterday," Gebreyesus stated at the opening of a new Ebola treatment center in Bunia, the provincial capital. He noted that while researchers are still developing vaccines and therapies, recovery from Ebola is possible.

This marks the first reported recovery from the Bundibugyo Ebola virus, a strain for which there is no approved treatment or vaccine. Recent WHO data indicates 906 estimated infections and 223 estimated deaths in Congo due to the current epidemic. Neighboring Uganda has confirmed nine cases, with one fatality.

Health workers face significant challenges, including rapid disease spread outpacing aid organizations and local anger over strict medical protocols for handling bodies, which conflict with traditional funeral customs. Attacks on health centers and ongoing violence from rebel groups, including the Allied Democratic Forces, further complicate treatment efforts. The WHO chief stressed that ending the epidemic requires collective involvement.