The World Health Organization says the Ebola outbreak in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo is spreading rapidly and may be larger than official figures suggest. Multiple outlets report WHO warnings that the response is struggling to keep up as case counts rise and the outbreak’s scale evolves quickly.

WHO figures cited by outlets show a surge in both confirmed and suspected cases during the first weeks of the outbreak. One report says WHO records nearly 500 confirmed cases in DR Congo with dozens of deaths, while another describes almost 750 suspected cases. Death toll reporting also varies across accounts, with some citing at least around 131 deaths and others mentioning higher figures. Outlets also note that neighbouring Uganda has confirmed cases, including fatalities.

Some coverage focuses on operational challenges and security: responders accelerate measures but patients and communities move, treatment centres face attacks, and suspected deaths increase. Another angle highlights that WHO characterizes the epidemic as outpacing past outbreaks during the early exposure period and calls for additional aid. Differences in numbers across outlets appear to reflect updates on different days and the mix of confirmed versus suspected case reporting, as well as evolving death tallies.