Ebola Outbreak 'May Be Larger Than Currently Detected'

Added: 2026-05-21

[00:00:00]You will have seen that yesterday the World Health Organization said that the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo and Uganda constitutes a public health emergency of international concern, highlighting the high risk of further spread and the likelihood that the outbreak may be larger than currently detected.

[00:00:17]The outbreak involves the Bundibugyo strain of the Ebola virus, for which there are currently no licensed vaccines or specific therapeutics. The outbreak is centered in the province of Ituri, where more than 482 suspected cases have been reported since April, including eight confirmed cases and around 116 deaths amongst suspected cases across several health zones.

[00:00:39]Testing of suspected cases is ongoing. A case was also confirmed yesterday in Goma in the province of North Kivu, raising concerns about potential spread in a densely populated urban area. We, alongside humanitarian partners, are supporting the government-led Ebola response.

[00:00:54]WHO is supporting national efforts through, among other things, the deployment of technical expertises and rapid response teams.

[00:01:02]Yesterday, more than 5 tons of WHO medical supplies, along with experts, were airlifted to Ituri by the World Food Program to reinforce response efforts. We and our humanitarian partners warn that insecurity, population movements, and displacement are significantly complicating surveillance, contact tracing, and response efforts in a contest context already marked by violence, food insecurity, and severe needs.

[00:01:28]Nearly 9 million people across the eastern provinces of Ituri, North Kivu, and South Kivu are facing crisis or worse levels of hunger, further straining fragile health systems, while only 30% of required health funding has been mobilized.

[00:01:42]We call on the international community to urgently scale up support for both the Ebola response and the broader humanitarian response in the DRC.

[00:01:50]Without immediate action, life-saving assistance will not reach those most in need, and critical humanitarian gains risk being reversed.

[00:01:58]The $1.4 billion humanitarian needs and response plan for the DRC is currently 34% funded with $478 million received.