WHO chief heads to Ituri’s “critical mass” as DRC’s 17th Ebola outbreak spreads | News about Ebola

The head of the United Nations health organization has visited Ituri in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), which has been hit hard as authorities battle to contain the country’s 17th Ebola outbreak.

“I want you to know that you are not alone,” said Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director-General of the World Health Organization (WHO), in a long and heartfelt message published on X Thursday.

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Tedros also spoke to health workers in the eastern region, where the first case was recorded and 90 percent of patients are receiving treatment, calling them “the backbone of the response”.

“I am coming to Bunia (the capital of Ituri province). I will be there alone, together with my friends, to meet your leaders, listen to your concerns, and do everything I can to help you,” said Tedros.

His comments come as authorities in the DRC are scrambling to contain the spread of the disease. Latest government statistics show 121 cases have been confirmed so far, including 17 deaths. The data also shows 246 suspected deaths and 1,077 suspected cases. Officials estimate that the number of casualties is rising.

But on Wednesday, the country’s Ministry of Health’s Ebola operations manager, Richard Kitenge, announced that one patient had recovered and been discharged from hospital, indicating a chance of survival for those receiving treatment.

Most of the previous Ebola cases in the DRC were caused by the Ebola Zaire virus, for which there is a vaccine and treatment. The disease is caused by a strain called Bundibugyo, for which there is currently no approved vaccine or treatment.

On Thursday, the head of the African Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) said that work is underway to develop a vaccine. “What we can tell you for sure, by the end of this year, 2026, Africa CDC will ensure that we have vaccines and drugs against Bundibugyo,” Jean Kaseya told reporters.

Later, the WHO said that the experimental drug and vaccine for Ebola caused by the Bundibugyo strain should be used in clinical trials, because they work with affected countries to assess their safety and efficacy.

‘Let the health workers continue’

Separately, aid workers rushed to Ituri on Thursday, the Associated Press reported.

A cargo plane and aid provided by the European Union delivered masks, gloves, shoes and medicine – all in short supply – to the northeastern town of Bunia where it was located. More EU aid is expected to reach the groups in the next eight days, Jerome Kouachi, UNICEF’s head of emergency operations in Congo, told AP.

Healthcare workers with limited resources have struggled to cope. In some areas, doctors have begun wearing disposable medical masks while treating suspected patients. The risks facing health workers have increased due to public anger over the harsh treatment of infected people, as well as armed groups in the volatile region.

WHO’s Tedros made a direct appeal to the armed groups in eastern DRC who have been fighting for control for years: “Please declare a ceasefire, even if only briefly. Medics have been struggling to use health measures amid distrust of the government and the local population, as well as attacks on hospitals.

“The government is asking the local people to respect the health guidelines because they can only win this war if they work together with the people,” Al Jazeera’s Chris Ocamringa said in the capital Kinshasa. The government is collecting all available resources to stop the spread of the virus, including the release of $20m.

The US announced on Thursday that it is donating $80m to help fight Ebola in the DRC and neighboring Uganda. With the new money, the total US spending is $112m since the beginning, the State Department said in a press release.

Eight cases in Uganda

Countries in the region are also on alert, encourage supervision and preventive measures.

On Thursday, the African CDC said it had confirmed eight cases of Ebola in Uganda, including one death. Earlier, the country ordered the border to be closed for four weeks.

Diana Atwine, permanent secretary at Uganda’s Ministry of Health, said the number of cases among health workers has been confirmed, as they are often the ones who come into contact with Ebola patients.

In Kenya, two US officials told the Reuters news agency that authorities had given permission for the US to open a quarantine facility at the Laikipia airport for US citizens who had been infected.

In a joint statement, the US, Canada and Mexico also announced health travel measures for people coming from parts of Africa that are at high risk of Ebola.