At a media briefing in Geneva, WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said more than a month into the outbreak, frontline responders have expanded care and testing at unprecedented speed, but conditions on the ground remain challenging.
“It’s encouraging to see that since the outbreak was first reported five weeks ago, the response has scaled up significantly,” he said.
In just over a month, treatment capacity has grown from fewer than 10 beds to more than 500 across 19 health centres, while laboratory testing capacity has increased from 30 daily tests in the capital Kinshasa to more than 2,000 tests each day across nine laboratories in three provinces.
Early diagnosis
Tedros said communities are increasingly seeking information and assistance to stay safe.
“More communities are becoming aware of the risks of Ebola and asking for the tools and support to protect themselves,” he said.
More than 100 people have recovered so far, offering hope that early diagnosis and supportive care can save lives.
But the scale of need remains immense. “There are now 1,094 confirmed cases, with 277 deaths,” Tedros said. “The outbreak is continuing to move fast.”
Meanwhile, neighbouring Uganda has reported 20 confirmed cases, with two confirmed deaths.
New treatments
WHO and partners are now preparing to launch a clinical trial next week in the DRC to test whether two antiviral treatments, MBP134 and remdesivir, can reduce mortality from Bundibugyo virus disease.
“We could save many more lives with therapeutics,” Tedros said.
Communities are being actively consulted and informed about the trial process, and plans are underway to ensure affected populations can access treatment if it proves effective.
Improving access
Yet beyond medicine, health officials warned that humanitarian conditions continue to undermine the response.
Tedros stressed that political action is urgently needed to improve humanitarian access and allow health teams to reach people in affected areas.
“Political advocacy and action are essential to create the conditions for increased humanitarian access and a scaled-up response,” he said.
Risks facing responders
Health workers themselves have paid a heavy price. On Wednesday, an aid worker in France with the medical NGO ALIMA tested positive for Ebola after returning from caring for patients in the DRC.
Nearly 80 health workers have been infected during the outbreak. “This case is a reminder of the risks faced by frontline responders,” Tedros said.
WHO is urging countries to support safe deployment measures for aid personnel, including better risk communication, infection prevention and evacuation readiness.
Despite isolated international cases linked to the outbreak, the agency maintains that the overall risk to the rest of the world remains low.
Obstacles persist
Major obstacles persist inside the affected region: contact tracing remains insufficient, treatment centres are under strain, safe and dignified burials remain difficult to carry out, border closures continue to slow operations and repeated security incidents complicate access.
The outbreak is unfolding against the backdrop of what Tedros described as a decades-long humanitarian crisis.
Earlier this month, WHO and the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) launched a joint continental preparedness and response plan requesting $518 million to strengthen efforts across affected areas and neighbouring countries.
With updated funding data expected next week, aid agencies hope the international response will match the urgency felt by communities still confronting one of the region’s most serious public health emergencies.
