WHO warns DR Congo Ebola outbreak is outpacing response efforts

The World Health Organization (WHO) has warned that the Democratic Republic of Congo's Ebola outbreak is spreading faster than response efforts can contain it, with new infections doubling in some hotspots and frontline health workers disrupting response operations through strike action.

WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus issued the warning on Wednesday during a visit to DR Congo, saying the outbreak has become the fastest-growing Ebola epidemic ever recorded.

"New cases are doubling in some hotspots," Tedros said in a post on X after meeting government officials in the capital, Kinshasa. "We all agree that we must urgently and massively scale up all our efforts across all pillars of the response and by all partners."

This is Tedros' second visit to DR Congo since the outbreak was declared in mid-May.

The outbreak has infected 3,874 people and killed 1,751, according to DR Congo's Ministry of Health, making it the second-largest Ebola outbreak on record after the 2014–2016 West Africa epidemic.

Families in Bunia say the situation has worsened after many frontline health workers stopped working over unpaid salaries.

Strike disrupts healthcare access

Although some health workers have reportedly begun receiving payments for work carried out since the outbreak began, they are demanding higher wages and more reliable compensation.

Residents say the strike has had deadly consequences.

"We urge the authorities to quickly find a solution to prevent other families from experiencing the same tragedy," said Bunia resident Anicet Baluku, whose two brothers died from Ebola during the disruption.

The strike has further strained a healthcare system already weakened by armed conflict in eastern DR Congo, near the borders with South Sudan, Uganda and Rwanda.

International funding increases

The United States announced an additional $242 million in funding for Ebola response, preparedness and humanitarian assistance, bringing total US support for the outbreak to more than $512 million.

Health experts say the outbreak has already surpassed previous Ebola epidemics in terms of the speed of transmission.

The outbreak is caused by the Bundibugyo strain of the Ebola virus, for which there is currently no approved vaccine or treatment.

Officials believe the virus was circulating in remote communities long before the outbreak was officially declared on May 15.

Doctors Without Borders (MSF) warned on Wednesday that the outbreak is "spreading at an alarming and unprecedented rate," despite the expansion of response efforts.

"The response is expanding, but is still not reaching communities quickly enough to break transmission chains," MSF said.

Africa CDC Director-General Jean Kaseya said contact tracing is failing to identify a large share of new infections.

"At least 60% to 70% of new cases are coming from outside the list of monitored contacts," he said during a visit to Bunia on Tuesday.

Health officials say delayed detection of infections has contributed significantly to the outbreak's high fatality rate, which stands at about 45%.

Of the 77 new cases reported during the latest 24-hour reporting period, 44 were classified as severe cases. At least 717 patients remain in isolation, while 749 people have recovered.

(With input from wires)