WHO and Africa CDC Urge Urgent, Expanded Ebola Response in Democratic Republic of Congo as Deaths Surpass 2,000

The World Health Organization (WHO) and Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) are calling for an urgent and expanded community-led response to the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). The outbreak has now claimed at least 2,000 lives out of 4,381 confirmed cases, making it the fastest-growing on record. The agencies highlight that new infections and deaths continue to outpace containment efforts, with challenges including insecurity, population movement, poor roads, misinformation, and pressure on health services. They emphasize the need for stronger detection, contact tracing, and treatment capacity, urging governments to strengthen surveillance and cross-border coordination.