Health officials in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) are finding themselves overmatched in trying to curb a fast-growing outbreak of the Ebola virus in the nation, and the virus is moving faster than its containment, the World Health Organization (WHO) has said.
The entry of responders into the fight shouldn’t have come until months after the start of the outbreak, as there was evidence of the virus starting months ago, WHO Africa Regional Director Dr Mohamed Yakub Janabi said.
Cultivable virus was isolated as early as February 2026 and the outbreak was declared on May 15 in eastern, Congo-Brazzaville, despite the fact that the outbreak was centered there. Many of the initial cases were thought to be malaria or typhoid fever, which helped the virus to spread prior to the official detection of the outbreak.
Related News: Heirs Life Names Pastor Jerry Eze to Board as Independent Director
The outbreak, which is one of the most lethal in recent history, has been estimated by the health ministry in recent reports to be 4,294 cases and 1,960 deaths. This outbreak is also the fastest, with the number of cases increasing the most, ever recorded.
The outbreak is being spread by the Bundibugyo strain of Ebola, which is one of the less common strains, for which there are no licensed vaccines or recognised therapeutic drugs. This has made it difficult to manage transmission and take treatment of seriously ill cases seriously.
WHO officials are especially worried because between 60% and 70% of all new infections were taking place outside of established clusters of transmission. This makes it harder for contact tracing teams to locate people who have been in close contact with infected people, and action that halts additional spread of the infection.
Related News: Iran Sets Conditions for Hormuz Reopening as US Standoff Deepens
In Congo, the insecurity in the East is also limiting access to some communities reducing the response. Strikes, lack of PPE and misinformation and lack of trust by the populace on government has added to the difficulties for health workers and health workers have also faced difficult operating conditions.
A concern is with traditional burial practices, as Ebola may be transmitted after death when a person comes in contact with the body. Fear of the virus is also leading to some residents to not seek healthcare facilities which WHO officials have cautioned could be aggravating conditions of other health issues in the affected communities.
For the global risk of Ebola to spread, WHO considers it very low, as the virus is not passed on via the air as respiratory viruses are. No cases have been sustained outside the affected area, but they have been detected and contained.
Ebola is mainly transmitted through contact with the body fluids or blood of infected persons or contaminated items. Fever, extreme weakness, muscle pain, vomiting and diarrhea – and, in some cases, bleeding – can all be symptoms.
Related News: Terrorists Kill Couple, Abduct Passengers Along Niger Highway
The situation has brought the years of the West Africa Ebola epidemic of 2014-2016 alive again, the largest ever recorded outbreak of Ebola. It killed over 11,000 people that epidemic including Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone which were some of the worst hit countries.
WHO’s message highlights the necessity of quicker detection, more intensive surveillance, community support and continued health workers’ access to counter the virus if they are to claim back the ‘upper hand.
Preventing transmission is the short-term goal for main communities in Congo where insecurity and restricted access to health care services are increasingly complicating traditional strategies to control outbreaks.
