WHO says Ebola outbreak in Congo is accelerating

The World Health Organization has raised its risk assessment for Ebola in the Democratic Republic of Congo from “high” to “very high,” as infections and deaths linked to the virus continue to rise.

WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said on Friday in Geneva that the outbreak is accelerating at a rapid pace and that the level of risk inside the country has become “very high.” He also said the risk of spread remains “high” at the regional level and “low” globally.

Ghebreyesus said 82 confirmed Ebola cases have been recorded in the Democratic Republic of Congo, including seven deaths. “But we know that the size of the outbreak in Congo is much larger,” he added.

Health authorities have also identified about 750 suspected cases and 177 suspected deaths, he said. In Uganda, Ghebreyesus said the situation is “stable” after two confirmed cases were recorded among people who came from Congo, along with one death linked to the virus.

Last week, the World Health Organization declared an emergency over the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo and Uganda, saying it posed a threat to other countries. The previous Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo ended in October 2025.