WHO Raises Ebola Risk Level in DR Congo to 'Very High'

The World Health Organization (WHO) on May 30 raised the risk assessment for the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo from "high" to "very high," as an outbreak caused by the Bundibugyo virus strain continues to worsen. The announcement was made by WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, who stated that the risk level is now very high at the national level, high at the regional level, and low at the global level.

According to the WHO, 82 confirmed infections have been recorded to date, including 7 deaths. However, the actual number may be much higher, with nearly 750 suspected cases and 177 suspected Ebola deaths. Dr. Tedros added that WHO personnel have been deployed to Ituri province—the epicenter—to support affected communities.

There is currently no approved vaccine or treatment for the circulating virus strain. The WHO declared the outbreak a Public Health Emergency of International Concern on May 25. Ebola is a frequently fatal virus with symptoms including fever, body aches, vomiting, and diarrhea, and spreads through direct contact with bodily fluids.

The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) said volunteers are going door-to-door in the epicenter to counter misinformation about Ebola and guide people on prevention and seeking medical care. "Community response is still mixed. Some people take the disease seriously, but others remain skeptical and believe Ebola is fabricated," said Gabriela Arenas, IFRC’s Africa regional operations coordinator, via video from Nairobi.

In response to the escalating situation, authorities in Ituri province have imposed restrictions on funerals, requiring that only specialized teams carry out burials and banning the transport of bodies by non-medical vehicles. Large gatherings are limited to a maximum of 50 people, and the local football league has been suspended. The decision came a day after residents in the town of Rwampara, Ituri province, set fire to an Ebola treatment center and clashed with police while trying to retrieve a victim's body.

Dr. Mohamed Yakub Janabi, WHO’s Africa regional director, warned the world not to underestimate the risk of this outbreak. "It would be a big mistake to underestimate it, especially with the Bundibugyo strain for which there is no vaccine. Just one case of exposure and we are all in danger," he said, while criticizing the global lack of attention to Ebola compared with the hantavirus outbreak earlier this month that affected travelers from 23 countries, including many wealthy Western nations.

Dr. Abdirahman Mahamud, WHO’s director of emergency response and health alerts, said the virus's potential for rapid spread is "high, very high, and that changes the entire dynamic." The virus strain has also been detected in Uganda, but Dr. Tedros said the situation there is "currently stable" after one death linked to a case from DR Congo. Additionally, a U.S. citizen working in DR Congo tested positive for Ebola and was transferred to Germany for treatment, while another high-risk contact was moved to the Czech Republic.