WHO Chief Briefs DR Congo President as Ebola Outbreak — Already Third-Largest on Record — Continues to Spread Undetected

WHO Director General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus concluded his visit to Democratic Republic of Congo on Monday by briefing President Felix Tshisekedi on the response to the Ebola outbreak. The meeting took place in Kinshasa. Tedros arrived in the country last week and traveled to Ituri province, where the first cases of the current outbreak were confirmed.

He observed five certified recoveries during the visit. An aid agency warned that the outbreak was likely much larger than official figures show. Health officials said the outbreak persisted for weeks undetected.

The current outbreak is already the third-largest on record. Four out of five virus contacts have gone untraced. Tedros called for more international support to stop the disease’s spread. He stated there is a need to ramp up testing and treatment capacity and promote trust in health workers.

“This Ebola can be stopped when the community owns the agenda and with strong government leadership,” Tedros said after the meeting with President Tshisekedi. “We need to strengthen the capacity of the health systems in the affected areas,” he said.