Published on: 2026-08-18
Source: United Nations – United Nations –
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August 18, 2026 Healthcare
The Director-General of the World Health Organization (WHO), Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, warned on Tuesday that the Ebola epidemic, caused by the rapid spread of the Bundibugyo virus in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), has not yet been contained and continues to pose a serious threat to international health.
Speaking at the second meeting of the International Health Regulations Emergency Committee, the WHO Director-General stated that the situation has significantly worsened over the past three months. According to him, the outbreak is spreading faster than any previous Ebola epidemic and has already become the second largest in history.
According to WHO data, the number of infected has approached five thousand people, and the death toll has exceeded 2,300. The disease has affected six provinces and 55 health zones in the DRC. The outbreak has surpassed all previous Ebola outbreaks in the DRC in terms of death toll.
“Let’s be frank: we are far from the moment when the epidemic will be under control,” Gebreyesus emphasized. According to him, the spread of infection is facilitated by armed conflict and mass population displacement.
The WHO is particularly concerned by the fact that many patients die outside of medical facilities and that in such cases contacts with other infected people are not traced. In other words, this refers to the existence of unknown chains of virus transmission.
“Each such death signifies a transmission route of the infection that we have not yet detected. Until every chain is identified and broken, the epidemic will continue,” noted the WHO Director-General.
He warned of the ongoing risk of international disease spread. Uganda managed to stop further transmission of the virus after the initial entry of the infection into the country. Last month, an infected traveler brought the virus to France. According to Tedros, this case demonstrated that national borders can only slow down the spread of the disease, but not stop it completely.
Negative reaction from local communities
Additional concern among humanitarian workers is caused by the resistance of part of the local population to anti-epidemic measures. As WHO representative Tierno Balde noted, specialists encounter negative reactions from local communities almost daily.
“This is a very difficult situation: people see their relatives getting sick and dying,” he emphasized.
Speaking via video link from Bunia, the epicenter of the outbreak in the DRC, Balde reported that on Monday an attack was carried out on one of the ambulances involved in fighting the epidemic. According to him, this incident is not an isolated case.
Balde noted that despite the difficult situation, medical specialists and humanitarian organization staff continue to work around the clock to contain the spread of the infection.
“The situation is extremely difficult, but people are working here day and night, trying to get the outbreak under control,” he said.
Working with motorcycle taxi drivers
One of the key elements of the WHO’s updated strategy has been strengthening interaction with local communities. The organization is focusing on involving residents in the system of early detection of disease cases and responding to them. Special attention is given to associations of motorcycle taxi drivers, who play an important role in the daily life of affected areas. They often transport sick people and the bodies of the deceased, making them one of the most vulnerable population groups.
To reduce risks, drivers have already been provided with handwashing stations and disinfectants. Now, authorities and international partners intend to involve them in the epidemiological surveillance system, that is, to “turn” motorcycle drivers into assistants for monitoring and response services. If they transport a person with suspicious symptoms, they can promptly report this to surveillance services so that the patient can be examined and isolated if necessary.
WHO emphasizes that such work is carried out on a voluntary basis. Specialists strive to explain to people the necessity of cooperation not only for the protection of society as a whole but also for the safety of their own families. According to international experts, it is precisely public trust and active participation of local communities that can become one of the decisive factors in combating the outbreak.
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