WHO Reports Encouraging Signs in Congo Ebola Fight Amid Regional Surge

The World Health Organization (WHO) has observed encouraging signs in its efforts to combat an Ebola outbreak in eastern Congo, even as case numbers surge in a separate region, according to the head of the UN health agency.

Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General, stated that progress is being made against the Bundibugyo virus, which is behind the current outbreak, in Ituri province. "We are now starting to see encouraging signs that we are gaining ground in the most affected parts of Ituri province. Transmission is going down," he told reporters in Geneva.

He noted that South Kivu province has reported no new cases since May. However, Tedros cautioned, "But make no mistake, the epidemic continues to grow and continues to kill." To date, over 7,200 cases and more than 3,500 deaths have been reported across seven provinces.

Conversely, in North Kivu province, cases are rising rapidly, with weekly infections nearly doubling in the past two weeks, from approximately 100 to over 200. "The area is so vast that it’s hard to speak of a single epidemic. It’s many outbreaks in many places," Tedros explained.

Maria Van Kerkhove, WHO’s director for epidemic and pandemic management, expressed cautious optimism but stressed realism. "Looking at trends takes time," she said.

Last week, officials in Congo reported that the outbreak, described as the world’s fastest-growing on record, had expanded to seven provinces within the African nation and showed no signs of slowing.