WHO warns of the dangerousness of the Ebola epidemic in the Democratic Republic of the Congo due to an increase in cases

Published at: 26/05/2026 09:14 AM

The World Health Organization (WHO) described the current Ebola epidemic in the Democratic Republic of Congo as extremely serious when the circulation of the Bundibugyo strain was detected. The director of the entity, Tedros Adhanom Gebreyesus, urged neighboring countries to activate prevention protocols immediately given the dangerousness of this variant, which lacks an available vaccine.

The containment of the virus faces critical obstacles due to the late detection of infections, added to problems of insecurity and the marked distrust of the local population towards health authorities. Faced with this scenario, the institution raised the risk level of the epidemic from high to very high last week.

Official figures currently confirm 101 cases and 10 deaths in Congolese territory. However, WHO projections suggest a considerably larger magnitude, estimating the existence of up to 900 possible cases and 220 deaths that remain under suspicion.

Faced with the threat of regional expansion, the African Centers for Disease Control and Prevention warned that ten nations on the African continent, in addition to the Democratic Republic of Congo itself and Uganda, are at imminent risk in the face of the spread of the outbreak.

Mazo News Team