WHO Chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus Arrives in Congo to Support Ebola Response

The head of the World Health Organization, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, has arrived in Kinshasa, the capital of the Democratic Republic of Congo, to support measures being taken to slow the world’s fastest-growing Ebola outbreak.

As of Monday, the outbreak has reached 3,874 cases, including 1,751 deaths, according to the latest data published by Congo’s Ministry of Health. This number represents a significant increase in the rate of transmission and has eclipsed all other Ebola outbreaks in history.

The outbreak has been declared the second-largest on record, only behind the 2014-2016 West Africa outbreak that recorded more than 28,000 cases, including over 11,000 deaths. The Bundibugyo virus responsible for the outbreak has no approved treatment or vaccine, making it a major public health concern.

Local officials believe that the outbreak had been raging in a remote part of eastern Congo long before it was declared on May 15. The virus has spread rapidly, with most of the new cases being recorded outside of contacts being monitored after their exposure to patients.

In Ituri province, the epicenter of the outbreak, many localities are still not accessible due to safety concerns amid rebel conflict. This has made it challenging for health workers to reach affected areas and provide medical care. Furthermore, many health workers have gone on strike to protest lack of payment, although some have reported receiving their payment in recent days.

The Africa Centers for Disease and Control Director-General, Dr. Jean Kaseya, has stated that contact tracing isn’t working, with at least 60-70% of new cases coming outside of the contact list. He emphasized the need to be innovative in approaching the contact list to effectively contain the outbreak.

According to officials, late detection of cases remains a major challenge and has been a key contributing factor to the 45% fatality rate. The 77 new cases reported in the previous 24 hours included 44 deaths, according to the health ministry’s update. At least 717 patients are in isolation, while 749 patients have recovered.

The WHO chief’s visit is expected to bring much-needed support and guidance to the Ebola response efforts in Congo. He is scheduled to meet with partners and Congo’s President Félix Tshisekedi to discuss the ongoing efforts to contain the outbreak.