WHO reports progress in DRC Ebola fight amid ongoing risks

World Health Organization (WHO) Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus reported significant progress in the fight against Ebola in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). While the outbreak is slowing in certain areas, he warned that it continues to grow in others.

In the Haut-Uélé province, 25 patients (13 women and 12 men) recovered from the Bundibugyo virus disease (BVD) and were discharged from a WHO-supported treatment center in Isiro. This facility, established in collaboration with Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF), has expanded its capacity to 50 beds to strengthen patient care while allowing the Isiro General Referral Hospital to maintain other essential services.

The WHO has provided over one ton of medical supplies to the Isiro hospital, including oxygen, gloves, masks, beds, and mattresses. Additionally, the WHO has trained 211 health workers at its clinical training center in Bunia and plans to open a new center in North Kivu.

Regarding immunization, the first 100 frontline health workers in Haut-Uélé received the Ervebo vaccine. While Ervebo is proven to protect against the Ebola Zaire strain, its effectiveness against the current Bundibugyo virus outbreak is currently being studied.