• Health
• Thursday, July 16, 2026 – 6:16 PM

Unprecedented spread and security challenges

The WHO reports that while significant progress has been made in treatment capacity—now exceeding 800 beds—the epidemic continues to outpace containment efforts. Laboratory testing has expanded from one to 16 facilities nationwide, and contact tracing rates have climbed to nearly 80%. Over 21,000 community health workers are being trained, and safe burial practices have improved.

However, these gains are threatened by ongoing security threats. The recent attack on an Ebola treatment center in Bunia, Ituri’s provincial capital, underscores the dangerous intersection of armed conflict and public health. The WHO emphasizes that political intervention is now critical to enable faster, more effective response operations.

Meanwhile, neighboring Uganda has made progress, with its last confirmed patient discharged today. The country is now in a 42-day countdown to declaring the outbreak over, having recorded only 20 cases and two deaths. Yet the WHO cautions that the DRC’s crisis poses a persistent regional risk.

Research breakthroughs amid crisis

Despite the absence of approved vaccines or treatments, there is hope on the research front. Clinical trials for monoclonal antibody MBP134 and antiviral remdesivir are underway, while Oxford University has initiated safety testing for the ChAdOx1 vaccine. Additionally, the DRC’s National Institute of Biomedical Research has launched a post-exposure prophylaxis trial using obeldesivir. To date, 377 patients have recovered, demonstrating that early diagnosis and proper care can save lives.

Immediate priorities for containment

WHO’s immediate priorities include:

• Strengthening surveillance in Ituri to identify and isolate cases
• Ensuring safe and dignified burials to prevent further transmission
• Improving clinical care standards
• Mobilizing communities through education and engagement
• Bolstering response capacity in newly affected provinces before transmission becomes established

The outbreak, caused by the rare Bundibugyo strain, was declared a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC) on May 17. The WHO warns that the actual scale of the epidemic may be underestimated due to population mobility, weak health systems, and access challenges in conflict zones.

Despite the dire situation, Congolese authorities insist there is no cause for alarmism. They point to coordinated efforts with national and international partners, drawing on the country’s experience in managing 16 previous Ebola outbreaks—all of which were successfully contained through robust response operations.