KINSHASA/BUNIA (Reuters) – The head of the World Health Organization was travelling to the Democratic Republic of Congo on Thursday where an Ebola outbreak, the third largest on record, is outpacing the world’s response.
Health authorities in Congo and neighbouring countries are scrambling to contain the latest outbreak of the rare Bundibugyo strain, for which there is no vaccine or treatment.
The response, which hinges on identifying and isolating potential cases to control the spread of the disease, is weeks, if not months behind the curve and the WHO has declared a public health emergency of international concern.
“16 times, this country has defeated Ebola. The 17th will be no different. But we must act now, together,” said WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus on X.
Tedros is due to arrive in Kinshasa on Thursday and will then travel to Ituri province in Congo’s northeast, where the first Ebola cases were reported and the virus has been circulating for weeks.
Already facing a shortage of supplies, doctors there are also tackling attacks on their facilities caused by denial of the disease among some in Congo.
There have been 1,077 suspected cases, of which 121 have been confirmed, according to the latest WHO figures, which also showed 246 suspected deaths from Ebola and 17 confirmed fatalities.
