The United Nations Office at Geneva
Multimedia Newsroom
‘Some people question whether Ebola is real’: trust is central in fighting DRC outbreak, humanitarians say
In Ebola-stricken Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), winning the race against the disease requires earning the community’s trust first and foremost, humanitarians said on Tuesday.
Since the outbreak was declared on 15 May, considerable progress has been made on testing capacities, Tarik Jašarević, spokesperson for the World Health Organization (WHO) told reporters in Geneva. Testing for the Bundibugyo virus responsible for the outbreak is available in six locations in the country, in Bunia and Mongbwalu in Ituri Province, Bukavu and Lwiro in South Kivu, Goma in North Kivu, in addition to the capital Kinshasa.
Another four laboratories have been activated in Uganda where cases had been imported from DRC.
However, there is still room for improvement.
“We have blind spots where we get a low number of alerts,” Mr. Jašarević said. “There may be transmission chains that are not being detected. There are still people who risk infecting other people, and we need to get them”.
Bruno Michon, Operations Manager for the Ebola outbreak at UN partner the International Federation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC), insisted that to stop the spread, investment is needed not only in the medical response, but also in building trust, which is time-consuming and difficult.
“But in this outbreak, it is not optional. It is lifesaving,” he said.
Speaking from Bunia, the epicentre of the crisis, he said that “some people still question whether the disease is real” and believe that the outbreak may have been “invented” to attract foreign aid, while others “see safe and dignified burials as an attack [on] culture and tradition, rather than a measure to protect families and communities”.
Scepticism, doubt and fear are hindering the response, Mr. Michon said.
“When people are afraid, they may not report symptoms,” he explained. “They may avoid treatment centres” for fear of contamination and prefer to stay at home when they have a fever, “ashamed to tell the family that they are sick”, since significant stigma comes with the disease.
“Families try to bury their loved ones according to traditional practices without knowing the level of risk involved,” he added.
The IFRC official explained that trust is earned through measures destined to appease the community’s concerns.
“Following community feedback, we started using body bags with a window so that the family can see the face of the deceased” and begin the grieving process, he said.
“When communities told us they feared that chlorine was used to poison them, we did not argue. We demonstrated how disinfectants are prepared.”
“Without trust, we cannot detect cases early,” Mr. Michon continued. “We cannot ensure safe and dignified burials. We cannot even protect families and we cannot stop the transmission.”
“Trust is not a secondary activity in the Ebola response. Trust is central,” he concluded.
-ends-
STORY Ebola DRC update – WHO, IFRC
TRT: 3:17’’
SOURCE: UNTV CH
RESTRICTIONS: CREDIT UNICEF BROLL
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH/NATS
ASPECT RATIO: 16:9
DATELINE: 16 JUNE 2026 GENEVA, SWITZERLAND; 5-6 JUNE 2026, BUNIA, ITURI PROVINCE, DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF THE CONGO
1. Exterior wide shot: Palais des Nations, Flag Alley.
2. Wide reverse shot: Speakers at the podium of the press conference; speaker on screens; journalists in the Press room.
3. SOUNDBITE (English) – Tarik Jašarević, spokesperson, World Health Organization (WHO): “We have blind spots where we get, we get a low number of alerts. There may be transmission chains that are not being detected. There are still people who are risking to infect other people and we need to get them.”
4. Medium shot: Journalists in the Press room.
5. SOUNDBITE (English) – Tarik Jašarević, spokesperson, World Health Organization (WHO): “There are now testing capacities in six locations in DRC, in Mongbwalu, Lwiro and Bukavu, in addition to existing capacity in Bunia, Kinshasa and Goma. There are also four tests, four laboratories are activated in Uganda for Bundibugyo virus. And we, together with partners, are replenishing laboratory reagents, testing supplies and other consumables that are needed.”
6. Wide reverse shot: Speakers at the podium of the press conference; speaker on screens; journalists in the Press room.
7. SOUNDBITE (English) – Bruno Michon, Operations Manager for the Ebola outbreak, International Federation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC): “It's very difficult to know when the peak will be reached. What I can say is that when I did arrive three weeks ago, 12 of the territories of the province were affected, and today 21 are affected. The province is divided into 34 territories, but today more than two-thirds of the territories report a positive case of Ebola.”
8. Medium-wide shot: Journalists in the Press room; speaker on screens.
9. SOUNDBITE (English) – Bruno Michon, Operations Manager for the Ebola outbreak, International Federation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC): “Some people still question whether the disease is real. Some, they believe the outbreak was invented to attract foreign monies. Others see safe and dignified burials as an attack to culture and tradition, rather than a measure to protect families and communities.”
10. Medium reverse shot: Speakers at the podium of the press conference; speaker on screens; journalists in the Press room.
11. SOUNDBITE (English) – Bruno Michon, Operations Manager for the Ebola outbreak, International Federation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC): “When people are afraid, they may not report symptoms. They may avoid treatment centers. Family try to bury their loved ones according to traditional practices without knowing the level of risk involved.”
12. Medium shot: Journalists in the Press room.
13. SOUNDBITE (English) – Bruno Michon, Operations Manager for the Ebola outbreak, International Federation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC): “Following community feedback, we started using body bag with a window so that the family can see the face of the deceased and begin to process the grieving. When communities told us they feared that chlorine was used to poison them, we did not argue. We demonstrated how disinfectants are prepared.”
14. Medium shot: Journalists in the Press room.
15. SOUNDBITE (English) – Bruno Michon, Operations Manager for the Ebola outbreak, International Federation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC): “Trust is not a secondary activity in the Ebola response. Trust is central. Without trust, we cannot detect cases early. We cannot ensure safe and dignified burials. We cannot even protect families and we cannot stop the transmission.”
16. UNICEF BROLL – CREDIT UNICEF: 5-6 JUNE 2026, BUNIA, ITURI PROVINCE, DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF THE CONGO: Various shots, Musanga Primary School on the outskirts of Bunia, shots of children running in the school grounds, youth washing hands, poster with Ebola infection and prevention measures.
Similar Stories
1
1
1
Edited News | OHCHR , UNOG
UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk on Monday 15 June delivered his Global Update to the 62nd UN Human Rights Council in Geneva.
2
1
1
Statements , Conferences , Edited News | HRC
As representatives of Iran and the United States reportedly prepared to sign a new peace agreement at the end of the week, the UN on Monday stressed the urgent need to open an aid corridor to transit the choked-off Strait of Hormuz and prevent a global hunger crisis.
1
1
1
Edited News | WHO , UNICEF
DR Congo: Ebola spreads as agencies brace for child infections
The deadly Ebola outbreak in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) is continuing to spread with a spike in child infections an increasingly likely scenario, UN agencies said on Friday.
1
1
1
Edited News | WHO
Community trust and lab testing at the heart of DRC Ebola response – WHO
In Ebola-stricken eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) a massive push for early testing and contact tracing is underway to contain the virus, the UN World Health Organization (WHO) said on Tuesday.
1
1
1
Edited News | OCHA , UNFPA
The UN in Lebanon appealed for an additional $331.5 million on Friday to help 1.4 million people in crisis as already massive needs continue to grow, three months after deadly violence erupted between Hezbollah fighters and Israeli forces.
1
1
1
Edited News | UNIFIL
UN Security Council meets amid rising Israel-Hezbollah tensions in Lebanon.
1
1
1
Edited News | OHCHR , UNOG
At the biweekly press briefing in Geneva, UN Human Rights spokesperson made the following remarks deplored the death in State custody of Brooklyn Rivera in Nicaragua.
1
1
1
Edited News | WHO
Lebanon: Tyre hospital strikes leave patients without critical care – WHO
The UN health agency in Lebanon is verifying reports of strikes on a hospital in the southern city of Tyre on Monday, amid a concerning rise in attacks on healthcare in the country.
2
1
2
Press Conferences , Edited News | WMO
El Niño confirmed, extreme weather events will be more intense, says WMO
The UN urged all countries on Tuesday to bolster early warning systems after confirming the onset of El Niño, warning that the Pacific Ocean-warming phenomenon will bring above-average temperatures “nearly everywhere” and fuel more extreme weather.
1
1
1
Edited News | WHO
‘A disease you get when you care for someone’: on the frontlines of the Ebola crisis with WHO
Two weeks into the latest Ebola outbreak, the World Health Organization (WHO) is estimating that there are 906 suspected cases of Ebola in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), including 223 suspected deaths.
1
1
1
Edited News | OHCHR , UNOG
UN Human Rights Chief Volker Türk on 29 May called for more robust measures by both states and tech companies to make online platforms safer for children, insisting on effective regulation, oversight and accountability. The digital world that connects children to learning, community and creativity also expose them to real risks, to their safety, to their privacy, and to their well-being. Online harms to kids’ safety, privacy, and well-being are not innate or inevitable.
See High Commissioner video: https://media.un.org/unifeed/en/asset/d357/d3579089
1
1
1
Edited News | UNRWA , WHO
Gaza: Life-saving medicines blocked as killing continues, disease gains ground
In Gaza, a dire humanitarian situation marked by continuing violence, rodent infestations and the spread of diseases is being made worse by blockages of essential medical supplies, UN agencies warned on Friday.