The Director-General of the World Health Organization, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, has warned that the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo and Uganda is showing worrying signs of expansion, with rising suspected deaths, cross-border transmission, and infections in urban centres.
So far, 51 cases have been confirmed in the Democratic Republic of Congo, particularly in the provinces of Ituri and North Kivu, including the cities of Bunia and Goma.
Uganda has also confirmed two cases in Kampala, one of whom has died.
“An American national who was working in the DRC has also tested positive and has been transferred to Germany for treatment” the WHO chief revealed.
Dr. Ghebreyesus, said the situation is likely worse than current figures suggest.
“There are almost 600 suspected cases and 139 suspected deaths,” he said, adding that numbers are expected to rise as surveillance improves.
He identified several factors driving concern, including infections in densely populated urban areas, deaths among health workers, and increasing movement of people across borders.
He also pointed to worsening insecurity in eastern DR Congo, where conflict in Ituri province has intensified, displacing more than 100,000 people in recent months.
“The province of Ituri is highly insecure. Conflict has intensified since late 2025, and fighting has escalated significantly over the past two months,” he warned.
Health authorities are also contending with a strain of Ebola for which there are currently no approved vaccines or treatments, further complicating response efforts.
WHO has deployed teams and released emergency funding to support affected countries as they work to contain the outbreak.
Story by: Seyram Abla De-Souza
