The World Health Organisation (WHO) has warned that the ongoing Bundibugyo Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) has become the largest ever recorded, with more than 1,400 confirmed cases and over 400 deaths.
Speaking during an online media briefing on Friday, WHO Regional Director for Africa, Dr. Mohamed Janabi, described the outbreak as one of Africa’s most serious public health emergencies this year and called for sustained international support to contain the virus.
Despite the growing number of infections, Dr. Janabi said response efforts have recorded significant progress through enhanced surveillance, improved contact tracing, earlier case detection, and increasing patient recoveries.
According to him, transmission remains concentrated in a limited number of hotspots, although weekly infections have reached their highest level since the outbreak began, underscoring the need for intensified response measures.
He noted that the current outbreak has surpassed the combined total of all previous Bundibugyo Ebola outbreaks, including those recorded in Uganda in 2007 and the DRC in 2012.
Dr. Janabi revealed that contact tracing in the DRC has improved from 25 per cent to 83 per cent, while Uganda has achieved 100 per cent follow-up of all identified contacts.
He explained that improved surveillance and growing community trust have contributed to higher case detection, enabling health authorities to identify infections earlier, begin treatment sooner, and reduce further transmission.
The WHO official also warned that a recently imported Ebola case in Uganda highlights the continued risk of cross-border transmission as long as the outbreak persists in eastern DRC.
He urged neighbouring countries to strengthen regional cooperation through timely information sharing, joint surveillance, and coordinated preparedness efforts to prevent the virus from spreading further.
Dr. Janabi commended the governments of the DRC and Uganda, frontline health workers, the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC), and international partners for their continued commitment to the outbreak response.
WHO Launches Clinical Trial for Bundibugyo Ebola Treatment
In a significant scientific development, Dr. Janabi announced that the first patients have been enrolled in a WHO-supported clinical trial evaluating potential treatments specifically designed for the Bundibugyo strain of the Ebola virus.
He described the study as a major milestone that could improve patient outcomes during the current outbreak while strengthening preparedness for future Ebola emergencies.
The WHO also called on governments to expand treatment facilities, accelerate laboratory testing, swiftly investigate suspected cases, and ensure frontline health workers receive adequate protection and support.
Uganda Reports Imported Cases, No Community Transmission
Also speaking during the briefing, Uganda’s Director-General of Health Services, Dr. Charles Olaro, said the country had recorded 20 confirmed Ebola cases as of July 2, comprising 15 imported cases and five Ugandan nationals identified while in institutional quarantine.
He stressed that no community transmission has been recorded in Uganda, with surveillance systems remaining fully activated.
According to Dr. Olaro, Uganda has monitored 836 identified contacts, many of whom have successfully completed the mandatory 21-day observation period without developing symptoms.
He added that lessons from previous Ebola outbreaks have significantly strengthened Uganda’s surveillance systems, laboratory capacity, community engagement, and emergency response mechanisms.
Dr. Olaro also disclosed that laboratory testing capacity in the DRC has expanded from fewer than 30 samples per dayto more than 2,000 daily, while over 200 patients have recovered and been discharged from treatment centres.
However, he cautioned that if transmission continues in the remaining hotspots, confirmed cases could approach 1,500.
He emphasised that the outbreak can still be contained through sustained funding, regional collaboration, scientific innovation, and continued cooperation among governments, communities, and international health partners.
