The World Health Organization says the Ebola outbreak in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo is “still behind” response efforts, even as laboratory testing capacity improves. WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said the outbreak “had a big head start,” and that health services and surveillance are “catching up.” He spoke after visiting the outbreak’s epicentre.
WHO reports that diagnostic and laboratory capacity has expanded, but contact tracing remains inadequate, limiting the ability to quickly identify and monitor people who may have been exposed. The outbreak, involving the rare Bundibugyo Ebola strain, is reported as having been declared in mid-May. Reported figures cited by sources include 344 confirmed cases and 60 deaths. The number of suspected cases has dropped, from 906 to 116.
The reports also note ongoing security challenges in the region, including militant attacks, which can disrupt health operations. Neighboring Uganda has reported 15 confirmed infections, including one death, according to the accounts summarized here.
