WHO Director-General Visits Eastern DR Congo Amid Fast-Spreading Ebola Outbreak

BUNIA, Democratic Republic of Congo — WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus arrived Saturday in Bunia, a city at the center of a rare Ebola outbreak. The virus continues to spread rapidly, outpacing the response efforts despite improved healthcare facilities and new aid.

Tedros plans to visit a treatment center and engage with local leaders, healthcare workers, and affected families. He emphasized the importance of supporting efforts at the outbreak’s epicenter, stating, “The best way to address this is to provide all the necessary support to fight the disease.”

The WHO reported 906 suspected cases and 223 deaths as of Friday. Neighboring Uganda confirmed nine cases and one death. The current strain, Bundibugyo virus, lacks an approved treatment or vaccine.

Tedros arrived in Bunia on May 30, 2026. He acknowledged the difficulty of the situation, expressing confidence in Congo’s ability to manage the outbreak given their past experiences with Ebola, following a meeting with Prime Minister Judith Suminwa Tuluka.

Medical aid from the European Union arrived in Ituri on Thursday, with further shipments expected. The U.S. pledged an additional $80 million in aid, increasing its total contribution to over $112 million.

Response efforts in Bunia’s Rwampara and General hospitals appear more organized, with increased staff, protective equipment, and medical supplies noted by an AP reporter. However, the outbreak remains one of the fastest-spreading on record. MSF highlighted that no previous Ebola outbreak recorded so many cases so soon.

“Nobody knows the true scale and severity of this outbreak,” said Dr. Alan Gonzalez, MSF’s deputy director of operations. He called for expanded testing, quicker deployment of aid workers, and consistent delivery of medical supplies.

Health workers face dangers from residents upset by medical protocols that conflict with local burial practices. Attacks on health centers have occurred.

Further complicating efforts are attacks by the Allied Democratic Forces and ethnic militias in Ituri. Ebola cases have also appeared in North Kivu and South Kivu provinces, areas with significant rebel control, including cities like Goma and Bukavu.

Uganda and Rwanda have closed their borders, while the U.S. barred entry for non-citizens recently visiting Congo, Uganda, or South Sudan. Tedros criticized these measures as ineffective and urged countries to keep borders open to maintain transparency. “Closing borders only discourages transparency,” he stressed.