Armed conflict in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) is worsening a rapidly spreading Ebola outbreak and crippling humanitarian efforts to contain it, World Health Organization (WHO) Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus warned on Wednesday.
In a statement released on X, Tedros stated that the outbreak in Ituri province is now "outpacing the response" due to intense fighting and mass civilian displacement. He described the situation as a "catastrophic collision of disease and conflict."
Crucially, the current outbreak involves the rare Ebola Bundibugyo strain, for which there is currently no approved vaccine or therapeutic treatment. Ongoing clashes are driving exposed individuals into overcrowded displacement camps while cutting off vital medical supply routes.
"Stopping this Ebola transmission depends entirely on humanitarian access," Tedros said, noting that targeted attacks on healthcare facilities have made tracking infections and contact tracing nearly impossible. "We cannot build community trust or isolate the sick while bombs are falling."
The WHO chief called on all warring factions—which include the M23 rebel group and the Cooperative for the Development of Congo (CODECO) militia—to implement an immediate ceasefire to grant medical teams safe passage.
The Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) has warned that the outbreak threatens the wider region. Ten neighboring nations, including Rwanda, Kenya, South Sudan, and Burundi are now on high alert. While the WHO assesses the global risk as low, it warns that rising cases in urban areas and mounting infections among frontline healthcare workers require close international monitoring.
