World Health Organization (WHO) Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus arrived in Kinshasa on the evening of May 28 and is expected to visit Ituri province in northeastern DR Congo, the epicenter of the Ebola outbreak, on May 29. Speaking at the airport, he stated: “This outbreak can be stopped,” and noted that the WHO does not support travel bans, as they “are not very helpful.”
According to WHO data updated as of May 24, since the outbreak was declared on May 15, DR Congo has recorded 10 confirmed deaths and 223 suspected Ebola cases, with the total number of confirmed and suspected infections exceeding 1,000. The WHO has warned that the actual spread may be much wider because the virus has been circulating undetected for some time.
This is the 17th Ebola outbreak in the Central African nation of over 100 million people. A particular concern is that the outbreak epicenter lies in a mineral-rich region where armed groups are vying for control. Mr. Tedros appealed: “Conflict and displacement make everything more difficult. I directly urge all parties to the fighting: declare a ceasefire. No reason, no conflict, no grievance justifies innocent people dying from a preventable disease.”
The current outbreak is caused by the Bundibugyo ebolavirus strain, for which there is no vaccine or specific treatment. The WHO said advisory groups have recommended conducting clinical trials for vaccines and treatments. The head of the African Union's health agency, Jean Kaseya, said a vaccine could be ready by the end of this year.
In a neighboring region, Uganda recorded one Ebola death and six other infections, prompting an immediate closure of its border with DR Congo. The United States announced it would deny entry to anyone infected and is building a treatment facility for affected U.S. citizens in Kenya. A Kenyan human rights group has filed a lawsuit to limit operations at the facility, while health officials warn it could overwhelm Kenya's already strained healthcare system.
Ebola has killed more than 15,000 people in Africa over the past 50 years. The deadliest outbreak in DR Congo, from 2018 to 2020, claimed nearly 2,300 lives among 3,500 infections. The WHO reported receiving 4.6 tons of aid at Bunia airport, the capital of Ituri province, while the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) announced it is sending 100 tons of relief supplies to DR Congo.
