WHO chief arrives in Congo as Ebola outbreak accelerates
Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus lands in Bunia epicenter as cases outpace response efforts.
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The World Health Organization's director-general arrived Saturday in Bunia, Congo—the heart of an Ebola outbreak spreading faster than the response can contain it, despite improved health facilities and incoming aid.
Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus is expected to visit a treatment center and meet local authorities, health workers, and affected families. "The best way to address this is to provide all the necessary support to fight the disease at its epicenter," he told reporters Friday.
As of Friday, authorities reported 906 suspected cases and 223 suspected deaths. Neighboring Uganda confirmed nine cases and one death. The current strain—Bundibugyo virus, a rare type of Ebola—has no approved treatment or vaccine.
Medical aid donated by the European Union arrived in Ituri on Thursday, with more shipments expected over the next eight days. The U.S. announced $80 million in additional aid Friday, bringing its total commitment to more than $112 million.
Response efforts at Bunia's hospitals appear more organized with additional staff and supplies, but patients continue arriving around the clock. Doctors Without Borders warned Saturday this is one of the fastest-spreading outbreaks on record. "Never before has an Ebola outbreak recorded so many cases so soon after its declaration," said Dr. Alan Gonzalez, MSF's deputy director of operations.
Healthcare workers face added danger from local anger over strict protocols for handling victims' bodies, which conflict with traditional burial practices. Residents have launched at least three attacks on health centers.