Ebola Claims More Than 2,700 Lives in Congo, WHO Issues Warning

The Ebola outbreak in Uganda has officially come to an end, but the situation remains critical in neighbouring Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), where the virus continues to spread rapidly.

The World Health Organization (WHO) confirmed on Wednesday that Uganda’s Ebola outbreak, caused by the Bundibugyo strain, was over. The Ugandan government had declared the country Ebola-free on July 28 after reporting 20 cases and two deaths. WHO continued monitoring the situation until this week to ensure that no chains of transmission had been missed.

In contrast, the outbreak in the DRC continues to worsen. According to Congolese government figures, more than 5,600 cases and over 2,700 deaths had been reported by Tuesday. The outbreak is now considered the second-deadliest Ebola outbreak in history.

Dr. Marie Roseline Belizaire, WHO’s director of emergency preparedness for the African region, said transmission in the DRC remains highly active. She noted that there has been progress in contact tracing and testing, but efforts to contain the outbreak are still struggling to keep pace with its rapid spread.