The World Health Organization has warned that ongoing conflict in the Democratic Republic of Congo is making it harder to control a fast-moving Ebola outbreak in the country’s east.
WHO chief Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said Ituri province is facing a dangerous overlap of disease and violence, with the outbreak spreading faster than response teams can contain it.
In a statement on X, Tedros said health workers cannot build trust with communities or isolate patients safely while fighting continues nearby. He is expected to arrive in DR Congo on Wednesday to help expand efforts to stop the virus.
Suspected Deaths Continue to Rise
The outbreak has already been linked to 220 suspected deaths since it was declared. Congolese health authorities say about 1,000 people are currently showing symptoms that match Ebola.
However, confirming cases has been difficult. So far, only 17 deaths have been confirmed through laboratory testing. Health teams are also trying to trace around 3,600 people who may have had contact with infected individuals.
Around 2,000 tests have been distributed, with another 4,000 expected to be sent. Experimental treatments, including an antibody developed in the United States, may also be introduced soon.
Conflict Blocks Medical Access
The WHO says stopping transmission in Ituri depends on safe humanitarian access. But clashes in the region are forcing people to flee their homes, pushing exposed contacts into crowded camps and breaking key routes needed for containment.
Ituri has been under military rule since 2021, when civilian leadership was replaced by a military general in an effort to counter armed groups operating in the area.
Tedros called for an immediate ceasefire so medical teams can reach affected communities safely. He said attacks on health facilities and insecurity are making it extremely difficult to track cases and prevent further spread.
Aid Groups Say Response Is Behind the Virus
Médecins Sans Frontières, also known as MSF, said it will take several weeks to build the infrastructure needed to properly contain the outbreak.
Ewald Stals, MSF’s director in DR Congo, said aid groups are working to move supplies and health workers into the outbreak’s centre. However, poor roads, insecurity, and limited transport in Ituri are slowing the response.
He said teams still do not have a full picture of the outbreak because testing remains insufficient. Without more diagnosis, he warned, responders are still trying to catch up while the virus continues to move ahead.
Rare Ebola Strain Adds to Challenge
The outbreak is caused by the Bundibugyo strain of Ebola, a rare type for which there are currently no approved vaccines or medicines.
That makes the response more complicated, especially in a region already weakened by conflict, displacement, poor infrastructure, and cuts to international aid.
Health workers are trying to isolate cases, trace contacts, expand testing, and bring treatment closer to affected communities, but the conditions on the ground remain extremely difficult.
Countries Tighten Travel Rules
Concerns about the possible spread of Ebola have led several countries to impose travel restrictions.
Canada has announced a temporary 90-day entry ban on residents from DR Congo, Uganda, and South Sudan. The Bahamas has also introduced stricter rules, including quarantine or isolation measures for foreign nationals from those countries.
The United States recently banned non-citizens who had travelled to the three countries from entering.
International Support Expands
The European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control said it will increase its presence in DR Congo. More experts are expected to be deployed through the EU Health Task Force to support the outbreak response.
The warning from the WHO shows how serious the situation has become. With Ebola spreading, health systems under pressure, and conflict blocking access to communities, DR Congo faces a difficult race to contain the virus before the crisis worsens.