World Health Organization (WHO) Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus says the Ebola epidemic in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) is spreading faster than response efforts can contain it. He warns the outbreak is likely to worsen before it improves, saying responders are “playing catch-up” because of delays in detecting cases.
Several reports attribute the situation to a combination of late detection and the speed of transmission, with Tedros urging neighbouring countries to prepare for higher risk of spread. The Guardian also highlights the need for immediate action in countries bordering the DRC.
Bloomberg adds details on the operational and security challenges affecting the response in eastern DRC, including reported increases in suspected deaths and attacks on treatment centres. Bloomberg also notes that the crisis has prompted about US$500 million in global pledges.
Taken together, the outlets report that WHO is scaling up operations, but the epidemic’s pace is currently outstripping containment measures, prompting urgent calls for support and readiness across the region.
