WHO Warns DR Congo Ebola Outbreak Is Still Not Under Control
The World Health Organisation has warned that the latest Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo remains a serious concern, saying efforts to contain the disease are still facing major challenges.
WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus warned that the outbreak is spreading faster than previous Ebola epidemics, saying health authorities are still struggling to catch up. The disease has spread across six provinces in DR Congo and has also been reported in neighbouring Uganda.
DR Congo said the outbreak had killed more than 2,300 people from nearly 5,000 cases, making it the deadliest Ebola outbreak in the country’s history. The scale of the crisis has raised fears of further spread beyond the affected areas.
The outbreak was declared on May 15, 2026, but WHO believes the virus had already been circulating for weeks before it was officially identified. The response has been made more difficult by weak health infrastructure and insecurity in parts of the country where armed groups have operated for years.
WHO has classified the public health risk as very high within DR Congo and high for Uganda and other countries sharing borders with the country, while the risk remains lower for the rest of Africa and the wider world.
The UN health agency has warned that the possibility of further national and international spread remains high, making stronger surveillance, treatment and cross-border cooperation increasingly important.
The latest development has placed renewed pressure on health authorities across Central and East Africa as they work to stop what has now become one of the most devastating Ebola outbreaks in the history of the Democratic Republic of Congo.