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The World Health Organization (WHO) has raised its assessment of the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) from high to very high at the national level, warning that transmission is accelerating amid worsening security conditions.
WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said on Friday that the outbreak remains of “serious concern,” while stressing that the global risk continues to be assessed as low. The regional risk level has been maintained at high.
According to WHO data, there are currently 82 confirmed cases of Ebola virus disease and seven confirmed deaths. Health authorities also report nearly 750 suspected cases and approximately 177 suspected deaths, indicating that the true scale of the outbreak may be significantly higher due to limited surveillance and testing capacity.
The outbreak is primarily affecting the eastern regions of the country, where insecurity and ongoing violence hinder access for health workers. These dangerous conditions are severely complicating containment efforts, including contact tracing and treatment delivery.
WHO also confirmed cross-border transmission linked to the outbreak, noting that Uganda has reported two confirmed cases among individuals who traveled from the DRC, including one death. Authorities in Uganda have stated that the situation remains stable.
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