Geneva, June 4: The World Health Organization (WHO) announced during a press conference in Geneva that ongoing efforts and improved coordination have begun to manage the current Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).
Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO’s Director-General, who recently returned from a visit to the DRC, expressed optimism about the commitment shown by local communities and organizations. He stated that while he found hope in what he observed, numerous challenges still remain.
According to Xinhua News Agency, Dr. Tedros reported that there have been 344 confirmed cases of Ebola in the DRC, resulting in 60 deaths. These cases have emerged across 24 health zones in three provinces. The number of suspected cases, which exceeded 1,000 last week, has now decreased to 116.
He noted that the WHO’s risk assessment remains unchanged: the threat within the country is high, regional risks are elevated, while global risks are low. Dr. Tedros acknowledged that the outbreak had time to spread initially, and they were behind at the start. However, under the leadership of the DRC government, they are now gaining control of the situation.
Despite this progress, Dr. Tedros highlighted several ongoing challenges. These include reducing delays in confirming cases, enhancing laboratory and testing capacities for rapid response, tracing contacts of infected individuals, disruptions in supply chains due to travel restrictions, community distrust, and the lack of licensed vaccines or specific treatments for the Bundibugyo Ebola virus strain.
In a positive development, a patient infected with Ebola was discharged from a hospital in Goma, the capital of North Kivu province, on Wednesday. Doctors declared the patient fully recovered, bringing relief to their family, who had spent several days in worry and uncertainty.
The DRC government reported that as of Monday, six Ebola-infected patients had fully recovered. The total confirmed cases stand at 344, with 60 fatalities.
Medical aid organization Doctors Without Borders stated that the response to Ebola in North Kivu is based on systems established during previous epidemics. An Ebola treatment center with 80 beds has been set up in Goma, where patients have already been admitted.
The major city of Goma in eastern DRC has been under the control of the March 23 Movement rebel group since early 2025. Ongoing security issues continue to hinder access to many areas in North Kivu.
The WHO confirmed on Wednesday that despite security and access challenges in eastern DRC, its team is actively working in the Kivu region.
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