WHO Warns DR Congo Ebola Outbreak Is Spreading at Unprecedented Speed

Dr. Chikwe Ihekweazu, executive director of the WHO Health Emergencies Program, described the current surge as a fire that is simultaneously deepening and expanding. Officials are particularly alarmed that roughly 80% of new infections stem from unknown transmission chains, suggesting the virus is moving faster than containment efforts can track. While 95% of new cases remain concentrated in Ituri province, the pathogen has now surfaced in Haut-Uele and Tshopo.

Official government figures report nearly 2,000 infections and over 700 deaths, though WHO officials warn the actual toll could be four times higher due to undetected cases. The situation is further complicated by a strike at Rwampara General Hospital, where medical staff have walked off the job to protest unpaid wages and hazardous working conditions. This internal instability coincides with broader criticism regarding reduced international funding, which experts argue has hampered the response compared to previous epidemics. With 112 healthcare workers already infected and dozens dead, the WHO emphasizes that the region cannot carry the weight of this crisis without significant, coordinated global intervention.