WHO Says Ebola Response Improving but Outbreak Still Outpacing Efforts
The World Health Organization (WHO) has said that efforts to contain a new Ebola outbreak in central Africa are improving, although the virus initially spread faster than the response teams were able to manage.
WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said the outbreak, declared on May 15 in the northeastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), had an early advantage before health systems were able to fully detect and respond to it.
According to WHO data, hundreds of cases have been reported, including dozens of deaths, though officials warn that the actual numbers may be higher due to delayed detection in remote and conflict-affected regions.
Response Efforts Underway
Tedros said during a briefing in Geneva that international and local health teams are now intensifying efforts to control the outbreak and improve surveillance, contact tracing, and testing capacity.
He noted that although the situation remains challenging, there are signs of progress as response operations expand across affected areas.
Challenges in Affected Regions
Health authorities say the outbreak is concentrated in regions facing ongoing insecurity, displacement, and limited healthcare infrastructure. These conditions have made it difficult to track cases and implement rapid containment measures.
Experts also highlighted that contact tracing remains a key challenge, with only a portion of known contacts being actively monitored so far. WHO has emphasized the need to significantly increase this figure to control further spread.
Regional and International Coordination
Cases have also been reported in neighboring Uganda, raising concerns about cross-border transmission. WHO is working with health authorities in affected countries to trace contacts and assess potential exposure risks linked to travel.
The organization has also advised against broad travel restrictions, stating that targeted screening at entry and exit points is more effective and less disruptive to essential supply chains.
Focus on Testing and Containment
WHO officials said efforts are underway to expand laboratory testing capacity in priority locations to improve early detection. Plans include increasing the number of daily tests through decentralized facilities in outbreak hotspots.
The agency continues to coordinate with local and international partners to strengthen emergency response systems and improve outbreak control measures.
Outlook
While officials caution that the virus still poses a serious public health risk in affected regions, they say ongoing interventions are helping to gradually improve the response and bring the outbreak under better control.
