The Director-General of the World Health Organisation (WHO), Dr. Tedros Ghebreyesus, has praised the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) for its rapid response to the latest Ebola outbreak in the country.
In a statement shared via WHO’s official channels on Thursday, Ghebreyesus confirmed that the outbreak, declared two weeks ago near the central town of Bulape, has so far resulted in 48 confirmed and probable cases and 31 deaths.
“I congratulate the government, the Ministry of Health and DRC’s institutions for their leadership in this response. Years of investment and experience are paying off,” Ghebreyesus said, adding that WHO and partners have already delivered more than 14 tons of medical supplies and deployed 48 experts to support the country’s efforts.
The WHO chief disclosed that more than 900 contacts have been identified and are being monitored, while vaccination campaigns for contacts, potential contacts, and frontline workers are underway. He noted that an Ebola treatment centre with 48 beds has been established, where 16 patients are currently receiving care.
According to Ghebreyesus, 14 patients have already received Mab114, a monoclonal antibody therapy developed to treat Ebola, with two patients discharged after recovery earlier this week.
To scale up the response, WHO has launched a US$21 million appeal, urging donors to contribute. “Your investment now will help to save lives and stop this outbreak at the source,” he said.
The DRC has faced multiple Ebola outbreaks in recent years, the deadliest between 2018 and 2020 in the eastern provinces, where over 2,200 people died. Health experts say lessons from that crisis, particularly in vaccination and rapid diagnostics, have strengthened the country’s capacity to respond.
The current outbreak highlights the persistent threat Ebola poses to communities in Central Africa, even as authorities move swiftly to contain its spread.
