WHO Reports 101 Confirmed Ebola Cases and 900 Suspected in Congo

The World Health Organization (WHO) reported on Sunday that there are 101 confirmed cases of Ebola and around 900 suspected cases in the Democratic Republic of Congo, according to a statement released on the X platform.

WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus stated that "with intensified surveillance efforts as part of the Ebola outbreak response in Congo, more than 900 suspected cases have been identified so far, including 101 confirmed cases."

He highlighted that in the Ituri province, the epicenter of the outbreak, approximately 5 million people live amid ongoing conflict. Currently, one in four individuals requires humanitarian assistance, and one in five is internally displaced.

Ghebreyesus explained that violence is forcing residents to flee, including healthcare and humanitarian workers.

He emphasized that this situation severely hinders efforts to expand contact tracing and to detect infections early enough to provide supportive care.

The UN official added, "Persistent insecurity and fear also increase distrust within local communities."

The WHO continues, along with its health and humanitarian partners, to maintain its presence throughout Ituri, including some of the hardest-to-reach and most insecure areas.

Ghebreyesus concluded by stressing that communities there face not only the threat of Ebola but also a wide range of other diseases.