KINSHASA, DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF THE CONGO / MENA Newswire / — The World Health Organization (WHO) said the Ebola response in the Democratic Republic of the Congo is showing measurable progress, while warning that the outbreak remains difficult to contain in areas affected by insecurity, population movement and strained health systems. WHO reported 344 confirmed cases and 60 confirmed deaths in the country as of June 3, with infections recorded across 24 health zones in Ituri, North Kivu and South Kivu.
The outbreak is caused by Bundibugyo virus disease, a less common form of Ebola for which there is no licensed vaccine or specific approved treatment. The Democratic Republic of the Congo’s Ministry of Public Health, Hygiene and Social Welfare declared the country’s 17th Ebola outbreak on May 15 after laboratory confirmation in affected health zones. Uganda has also confirmed 15 cases and one death linked to the outbreak, with authorities maintaining surveillance and response measures near areas connected to cross-border movement.
WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said the response had begun to catch up after the outbreak spread faster than early control efforts. Testing has expanded, with 1,445 laboratory tests completed and many previously suspected cases ruled out. WHO said 116 suspected cases and 220 suspected deaths remained under assessment. Six people in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and two in Uganda have recovered, according to the latest figures presented by the agency.
Testing expands as suspected cases decline
The improvement in testing has clarified the scale of confirmed transmission after earlier figures included large numbers of suspected infections and deaths. Health authorities have been working to distinguish Ebola cases from other illnesses in communities where fever, weakness and bleeding symptoms can overlap with different diseases. WHO said improved diagnostics have reduced the backlog of pending samples, although access to laboratory testing remains uneven in conflict-affected and remote areas of eastern Congo.
Contact tracing remains one of the main gaps in the response. WHO said about 45 percent of identified contacts had been followed, far below the level needed for rapid interruption of transmission. The agency has said insecurity, displacement, misinformation and limited access to some communities continue to affect surveillance, safe burials, case investigation and early care. The Ministry of Public Health, Hygiene and Social Welfare is coordinating response work with WHO, Uganda’s health authorities and regional partners.
Travel curbs complicate supply routes
WHO has urged governments not to impose blanket travel and trade restrictions, saying such measures can disrupt movement of health workers, laboratory materials, protective equipment and other essential supplies. The agency has recommended targeted exit screening at airports, ports and border crossings instead. It has also said response teams need stable supply routes for diagnostics, infection prevention materials and clinical care in areas where road access and security conditions are already difficult.
The agency has estimated that $115 million is needed over three months to support the response, with about 35 percent of that amount secured. The funding covers surveillance, testing, case management, community engagement, logistics and cross-border coordination. Health officials have said the Democratic Republic of the Congo’s experience with previous Ebola outbreaks remains central to the current response, while the Bundibugyo strain, active conflict and population movement continue to make the operation complex.