World Health Organization Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said Tuesday he is deeply concerned about the scale and speed of an Ebola outbreak in Congo.
The declaration of a public-health emergency of international concern signals an urgent need for global coordination to prevent the virus from crossing more borders. The outbreak is spreading faster than health officials expected, threatening both local populations and neighboring states.
The epidemic was first detected on April 24, 2026 [4]. Since then, the virus has concentrated in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, where at least 131 people have died [1]. Health officials have reported 513 suspected cases in the region [2].
"I am deeply concerned about the scale and speed of the epidemic," Tedros said.
Beyond the DRC, the virus has already reached another country. One death has been reported in neighboring Uganda [3]. The rapid transmission has forced the WHO to escalate its response level to ensure resources reach the affected zones immediately.
"We are seeing a rapid increase in both cases and deaths, which is why we have declared this an international emergency," Tedros said.
The WHO is now focusing on containment strategies to slow the transmission rate. The speed of the current surge is a primary driver for the emergency status, as the number of suspected cases continues to climb, surpassing 500 in less than a month [1], [2].
“"I am deeply concerned about the scale and speed of the epidemic."”
The transition to an international emergency status allows the WHO to mobilize funding and technical expertise more rapidly. With the virus already appearing in Uganda, the outbreak risks becoming a regional crisis if containment fails in the eastern DRC, where infrastructure often complicates medical logistics.
