WHO warns that Ebola epidemic persists and spreads in the Democratic Republic of Congo

The World Health Organization (WHO) acknowledged that the progress made in tackling the Ebola epidemic in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) is considered 'fragile and insufficient,' given that the death toll has exceeded 5,400 in just over five months.

According to the WHO, current obstacles in controlling the virus, which began almost half a year ago since the declaration of the health crisis, are aggravated by the security situation in the affected regions.

In a press conference, the agency's Director of Emergencies, Chikwe Ihekweazu, stressed that greater effort is necessary, as the main challenge in responding to the outbreak is increasing insecurity, with more than 80 incidents reported by the WHO against health facilities and professionals.

Ihekweazu informed that there has been a notable decrease in weekly cases, which dropped from a peak of 700 to 800 new cases to the current range of 400 to 500, although these latter figures have stabilized at this level. He emphasized that despite intensive efforts to further reduce this rate, predicting the future is complex.

He mentioned that most initial outbreaks were successfully controlled, and even in Bunia, the main epicenter where relevant transmission still occurs, the number of new cases has decreased and treatment centers, previously overwhelmed, show lower bed occupancy.

However, Ihekweazu emphasized that violence perpetrated by armed groups in the eastern and northern areas of the country prevents access for those in need, interrupts epidemiological surveillance and treatments, forcing thousands of individuals to relocate and thus hindering healthcare.

Julien Harneis, UN humanitarian coordinator for the epidemic, added during the same press conference that in recent days, more people died in affected areas due to attacks by the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF), a group linked to the Islamic State (IS) operating in eastern DRC, than as a result of the Ebola virus itself.

Harneis lamented that this violence affects dozens of villages in southern Ituri and North Kivu (provinces impacted by the outbreak), going unnoticed and generating fear among the population.

Both representatives recalled that the UN established a humanitarian response plan to deal with the epidemic, budgeted at $2.21 billion (approximately €19.994 billion), but so far has only received half of this amount.

The outbreak was officially declared on May 15, and the WHO was classified as a international emergency two days later.

Since May, the DRC has faced its second deadliest Ebola epidemic in history, recording over 5,400 deaths, at least 11,042 confirmed cases, and a case fatality rate of 48.9%, according to the latest official data.

This week, almost six months after the epidemic was declared, the NGO Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF), which collaborates in containment efforts, criticized the current response, denouncing, among other aspects, a 'worrying disconnect' between the vast resources mobilized and those that actually reach the affected areas.

In response to the criticism, Harneis argued that the fact that the Ebola virus remained largely contained in eastern DRC, coupled with the rapid control of transmission when it spread outside the country, demonstrates the great commitment made throughout the region.

Additionally, four UN agencies, including the WHO, warned that a record 30.3 million people in the DRC will face levels of acute food insecurity or worse during the first half of 2027.

The Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRCongo) has surpassed the mark of 11 thousand cases, according to government notification, while the disease continues to spread across the national territory.

The latest data released by the Ministry of Health indicates that 11,042 individuals have been infected with the deadly virus, resulting in 5,387 deaths, which represents almost half of those infected. This event constitutes the deadliest outbreak ever recorded in DRCongo. Additionally, 2,990 patients have recovered so far, and another 651 remain under hospital care or in isolation.

Health authorities reported that the contact tracing rate reached 79.7%. The eastern provinces of Ituri and North Kivu are the most affected areas, concentrating 57.7% and 32.7% of the new cases registered on November 9, respectively.

The outbreak began in mid-May in the province of Ituri. Since then, Congolese authorities have faced great difficulties in containing it due to multiple factors, including armed conflicts, weaknesses in the health system, precarious access infrastructure, and acts of violence perpetrated by residents motivated by misinformation and distrust.

The Bundibugyo strain, responsible for this epidemic, has no known vaccine or treatment and has already spread to eight of the country's 26 provinces. The World Health Organization (WHO) is developing two vaccines, whose human trials have already demonstrated safety, although the development process may take several months.

In parallel, DRCongo implemented an Ebola immunization campaign at the end of August using the Ervebo vaccine, which is the only one available on a large scale. Although initially designed for the Zaire variant (the most common), it showed positive efficacy against the Bundibugyo strain in animal trials.

The increase in violence in the two main hotspots of the disease, Ituri and North Kivu, has caused apprehension among healthcare professionals, who have requested a cessation of confrontations to guarantee unrestricted access for medical teams. Health units and medical professionals have also suffered attacks from community members who show skepticism towards the virus.

Experts recommend reinforcing efforts to slow down and control the disease in DRCongo, given that it has already spread to other African nations. The epidemic reached neighboring Uganda, where the WHO declared the end of the outbreak on August 26 after recording 20 confirmed cases, 15 of which were imported from DRCongo and resulted in two deaths.

Cases linked to the Congolese outbreak have been identified in two other African countries: Kenya (with nine cases and two deaths) and Nigeria (with one case). Furthermore, one case related to the epidemic was detected in France. Four people who contracted the virus in DRCongo were transferred to the Netherlands (one), Germany (two), and the United Kingdom (one).

This outbreak marks the 17th Ebola epidemic to affect DRCongo and is established as the second deadliest of the disease in world history, although it still falls short of the most severe epidemic recorded, which caused about 11 thousand deaths and 28 thousand infections in West Africa between 2014 and 2016. The Ebola virus is transmitted through direct contact with the body fluids of infected people or animals and causes severe hemorrhagic fever, vomiting, diarrhea, and internal bleeding.

The Director-General of the World Health Organization (WHO), Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, emphasized the urgency of finalizing an international pact dedicated to combating pandemics. He cited lethal epidemics, such as the Ebola outbreak affecting the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRCongo), as proof of this necessity.

Currently, divergences persist between rich nations and developing countries regarding how to implement the historic agreement established last year, which serves as the basis for managing future health crises similar to COVID-19.

During the opening of the ninth session of the Intergovernmental Working Group (IWG), running until November 13 in Geneva, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus urged delegates to continue the work. He stressed that the primary purpose of concluding this treaty is the protection of populations.

The Director-General warned that any pathogenic threat, regardless of its origin, can become a danger to all inhabitants of any nation. He recalled the hantavirus epidemic that affected three people on a cruise ship in April, and the Ebola epidemic declared in May, which resulted in nearly 5,000 deaths among over 10,000 infected, concentrated mainly in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

When WHO member states formalized the agreement in May 2025, they postponed the discussion of a crucial point: a fundamental mechanism that has yet to be resolved, even after eight IWG meetings held since July 2025.

The appendix concerning the Pathogen Access and Benefit Sharing System (PABS) is considered the final piece needed for the global pandemic agreement to enter into force. This system must establish the rules for obtaining pathogenic agents with pandemic potential, as well as defining how derived benefits, such as vaccines, tests, and treatments, will be shared.

Tedros stated that PABS constitutes 'the last piece missing from our puzzle,' reinforcing that it is vital for the world to learn from the experience of the COVID-19 pandemic: 'no country can protect itself from pandemics by acting alone.' Recalling the pandemic period, he observed that although the world developed vaccines rapidly, many countries faced delays, while others received surpluses.

He concluded that this disparity caused deaths, prolonged the crisis, and increased the risk of new variants emerging, underlining that finalizing this section of the treaty is 'the key that will open the doors to a safer future.'