WHO warns Ebola outbreak in DRC 'barely beginning' in some areas

The World Health Organization (WHO) has issued a stark warning that the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) is not only spreading rapidly but is "barely beginning" in certain regions. The outbreak has now registered 2,423 confirmed cases and 967 deaths, underscoring the severity of the public health crisis.

Thierno Baldé, the WHO's Ebola response lead in the DRC, described the evolving dynamics of the outbreak, noting variable transmission patterns. "There are zones where it is intense, like Bunia and its surroundings, others present a relatively stable evolution and in some the outbreak is barely beginning," he stated. Baldé emphasized the ongoing challenge, adding, "I want to make it clear, the outbreak is still ahead of us and we are still in a phase where we are trying to catch up."

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We are beginning to better understand the dynamics of this outbreak, with different and variable transmission patterns. There are zones where it is intense, like Bunia and its surroundings, others present a relatively stable evolution and in some the outbreak is barely beginning.

While the eastern Ituri province, with Bunia as its capital, accounts for the majority of cases and fatalities (89% and 83% respectively), the virus has also spread to neighboring North Kivu, South Kivu, Haut-Uele, and Tshopo provinces. The WHO is actively deploying rapid response plans in newly affected areas like Haut Uele and strengthening control measures along the crucial Congo River transit route. The current fatality rate for the outbreak stands at approximately 39.9%. The epidemic, initially declared in Ituri on May 15, has also spread to neighboring Uganda, with 20 confirmed cases and two deaths reported there.

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I want to make it clear, the outbreak is still ahead of us and we are still in a phase where we are trying to catch up.