WHY Tedros’ Visit to Congo Signals a Critical Ebola Response Shift

During his recent trip to Bunia, the World Health Organization (WHO) Director‑General, Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, reminded residents of Ituri that they are not alone. In a statement, he thanked the Congolese government and said that WHO’s role is to “stop this epidemic and protect your communities.”

He pledged to work alongside local health authorities rather than “manage this from a comfortable office.” Tedros’ remarks acknowledged that this is the DRC’s seventeenth Ebola outbreak since 1976 and praised the communities’ resilience.

The Director‑General also warned that this outbreak is caused by the Bundibugyo strain for which no approved vaccine exists. According to a WHO risk assessment, as of 16 May there were eight laboratory‑confirmed cases, 246 suspected cases and 80 suspected deaths across three health zones in Ituri. Because the strain lacks a vaccine, WHO has urged countries to strengthen surveillance and infection‑prevention measures.

Escalating local challenges

Local resistance has become a major hurdle. A recent report notes that suspected cases have climbed past 900 and some treatment sites in Ituri have been attacked. Much of the anger centres on safe‑burial protocols; families have protested when they were not allowed to bury relatives, and a hospital in Mongbwalu was stormed as mourners demanded bodies be released. The outbreak’s rarity and lack of vaccine have fuelled mistrust. Authorities have responded by banning funeral wakes and large gatherings, but our report notes that containment also depends on rebuilding public trust.

Origins and spread

Another report on the crisis explains that the current outbreak began in Mongbwalu, a gold‑mining hub in Ituri. Mine workers frequently travel between villages, facilitating spread before cases were detected. By mid‑May, health authorities reported hundreds of suspected cases and more than 100 deaths across Ituri and neighbouring North Kivu; by 19 May the toll had risen to over 543 suspected cases and 131 deaths.

The Bundibugyo strain was confirmed in eight of 13 samples analysed at the National Institute of Biomedical Research, according to the CDC, and both Ituri and North Kivu remain the epicentres.

Regional risk

The outbreak quickly spread beyond Ituri. WHO’s assessment notes that two confirmed cases were detected in Kampala, Uganda, in travellers from DRC. Reuters reports that by 19 May there were 543 suspected cases and 33 confirmed cases in DRC, along with two confirmed cases in Uganda. In response, Uganda and Rwanda instituted border restrictions, though WHO has cautioned against complete closures to avoid unmonitored crossings.

The CDC’s Health Alert Network advisory emphasises that the outbreak is occurring in regions already affected by insecurity, population displacement and mining‑related movements. These conditions may complicate contact‑tracing, while violence and mistrust threaten health workers. Al Jazeera similarly warns that Ituri’s armed conflict and weak health infrastructure make rapid containment critical.

International response and hope

The DRC government declared a public health emergency on 15 May and launched a national response, establishing coordination and treatment centres in affected provinces. The government also deployed rapid response teams and set up a toll‑free hotline for information.

President Félix Tshisekedi convened a crisis meeting and instructed ministers to strengthen the response. International partners have rushed assistance: WHO airlifted supplies and experts, Africa CDC organised regional coordination, UNICEF sent 50 tonnes of infection‑control supplies, and MONUSCO reinforced screening and logistics.

Although the Bundibugyo strain has no approved vaccine, supportive care and early treatment remain lifesaving. The CDC notes that early “dry” symptoms include fever, muscle aches and fatigue, while later “wet” symptoms involve vomiting, diarrhoea and bleeding. Unlike the Zaire strain, which has vaccines and therapeutics, the Bundibugyo virus relies on isolation, hydration and symptomatic care. WHO’s advice stresses community engagement, strengthening surveillance and infection‑prevention measures, and ensuring that response operations integrate security and humanitarian considerations.

Experts caution that controlling the outbreak hinges on security and trust. If armed groups allow safe access and funding continues, the DRC’s experience from previous outbreaks along with rapid international support could enable the country to contain this epidemic.