GENEVA, Switzerland – The Ebola outbreak ravaging the Democratic Republic of Congo may be two to four times larger than official figures suggest, the World Health Organization said on Tuesday.
More than 1 960 people have been infected and over 700 have died since the haemorrhagic fever was detected two months ago, according to the DRC’s latest official count. However, WHO emergencies director Chikwe Ihekweazu told reporters in Geneva that modelling indicates the true scale is far greater.
“The scale of the outbreak is at least two to four times the number of cases that we have found,” Ihekweazu said.
The outbreak, already the third-largest Ebola epidemic ever recorded, has shown the fastest growth in a single month since it began, he added.
The DRC’s 17th Ebola outbreak was declared on 15 May after several deaths in Ituri, a mineral-rich northeastern province plagued by armed groups. The virus spreads through close contact and infected bodily fluids.
Cases have been detected in five DRC provinces and neighbouring Uganda, though more than 90% remain concentrated in Ituri.
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Ihekweazu, who recently returned from a week-long visit to the region, described the situation as “deeply concerning”. The outbreak is caused by the rare Bundibugyo species of Ebola, for which no approved vaccine or treatment exists.
“This continues to outpace the response efforts by the national authorities, international partners, including WHO, and the communities most affected,” he said.
Many newly reported cases are people who died in their communities without ever reaching a health facility, Ihekweazu noted.
Despite the grim outlook, he pointed to improvements in the response. Treatment capacity now exceeds 700 beds and continues to increase weekly. Laboratory capacity has expanded and contact follow-up rates are approaching 80%.
Recent days have seen some of the highest infection numbers, with over 80 cases confirmed in a single day. Ihekweazu described this as “good news”, suggesting fewer cases are escaping detection.
“It’s a sign of a maturing response,” he said.
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