WHO Chief: DRC Ebola Outbreak Spreading Faster Than Any Prior Epidemic

World Health Organization Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus issued a stark warning on Tuesday, stating that the Ebola virus in the Democratic Republic of the Congo is advancing at a pace exceeding that of all prior outbreaks of the disease and poses a growing risk of cross-border spread.

Speaking at an emergency meeting convened to address the escalating outbreak, Ghebreyesus said: “We must be frank: the epidemic is far from being under control.” He added: “It has significantly outpaced us, and we are still trying to catch up.”

The remarks followed the Democratic Republic of the Congo’s announcement on Monday that more than 2,300 people have died among approximately 5,000 confirmed cases — making this the deadliest Ebola outbreak ever recorded in the country’s history.