WHO warns fast-moving Ebola outbreak is outpacing response efforts

WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said on Monday that delays in detecting cases had left health responders “playing catch-up”, warning that the epidemic could worsen before it improves.

Speaking during an online African Union meeting on the outbreak, Tedros said the number of suspected deaths had risen to 220.

WHO chief to travel to Congo

Tedros said he would travel to the Democratic Republic of Congo on Tuesday, alongside Chikwe Ihekweazu, a senior WHO official responsible for health emergencies.

Congo is the epicentre of the outbreak, with the eastern provinces of Ituri and North Kivu among the areas most affected.

Containing the outbreak has been made more difficult by insecurity in the region, where armed groups and instability have repeatedly complicated public health interventions.

Uganda reports new cases

Neighbouring Uganda reported two additional Ebola cases on Monday, bringing its total number of confirmed infections to seven.

Tedros said other countries bordering Congo were also at high risk and should take immediate preventive measures.

The WHO has declared the outbreak of the rare Bundibugyo strain of Ebola a public health emergency of international concern.

No approved vaccine for strain

Unlike some previous Ebola outbreaks, response efforts are complicated by the absence of an approved vaccine for the Bundibugyo virus.

Health authorities now face the challenge of tracing contacts, isolating suspected cases and strengthening surveillance across borders while working in areas affected by insecurity.

The WHO warning underscores the urgency of a coordinated regional response as the outbreak continues to spread across central and eastern Africa.