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DR Congo: Ebola outbreak continues to expand, WHO sees signs of stabilization
In the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), UN health teams and partners are still racing to contain the rapidly expanding Ebola outbreak, despite ongoing insecurity in eastern areas where the virus has taken hold. As of 19 July, the DRC Government has recorded 2,423 confirmed cases, including 967 deaths and 469 recoveries.
“The outbreak has been reported in five provinces, but the province of Ituri remains the epicentre of the outbreak, accounting for more than 90 per cent of cases and also 80 per cent of deaths,” said Dr. Thierno Baldé, World Health Organization (WHO) Incident Manager. In addition to Ituri, the other impacted provinces are North Kivu, South Kivu, Haut-Uele and Tshopo.
Speaking to journalists in Geneva from Bunia, capital city of Ituri and at the heart of the outbreak, Dr. Baldé confirmed that the Bundibugyo virus behind this latest Ebola outbreak is also extending its reach to new areas in the eastern region, where chronic instability and the threat of conflict have combined with highly mobile and often displaced populations to create ideal conditions for the infection to spread.
Teams from WHO are adjusting and tailoring their strategy to the specific needs of each of the affected areas, while also focusing on bringing the situation under control in Bunia and surrounding areas.
The five provinces affected are all in the eastern region where rebel militia violence remains rampant and communities live in fear of conflict breaking out.
“Let's be very clear, this outbreak remains ahead of us and we are still in the phase of catching up,” explained Dr. Baldé. “We have prioritized the expansion of safe and dignified burials, [a] referral system [and] clinical case management capacity in the most active transmission areas,” he explained.
The Ebola outbreak that was declared in eastern DRC on 15 May is the fastest-growing Ebola outbreak on record. The Bundibugyo virus variant is less common and there is no approved vaccine or treatment.
Dr. Baldé described a recent visit to Kisangani in Tshopo province where the WHO is implementing a collective strategy by deploying rapid response teams. The results are encouraging. “No secondary cases have been detected so far in Kisangani,” he said. “Currently, all five cases are imported from Ituri province. We intend to roll out a similar rapid response plan in the hot-well in Katwa, Butembo and other emerging areas”, he added.
In order to tackle any chains of transmission, the UN health agency is also working on a new project which aims to reinforce control measures through the River Congo, “a crucial transit route requiring rapid implementation of control measures”, the WHO official explained.
WHO teams continue to engage actively with communities to mobilize and encourage them to accept treatment and follow-up care. “The main strategy is to implement a very strong, very effective and very timely response to contain the affected areas by identifying, by doing in-depth investigation of the cases, listing and following all of the contacts,” insisted Dr. Dalbé.
Despite the challenges, WHO has reported some encouraging signs, such as in the small town of Mongbwalu, in the Ituri province, where the outbreak was first detected. “Mongbwalu is currently showing some signs of stabilization with a similar trend in Goma, North Kivu province,” noted the WHO Incident Manager.
The highly contagious Bundibugyo virus is relatively unfamiliar but it killed around 30 per cent of infected persons in the two previous outbreaks in 2007 and 2012, respectively in Uganda and DRC.
The disease starts with flu-like symptoms including fever which can mask its true identity.
Full-blown Ebola disease caused by Bundibugyo virus is marked by severe bleeding and a fatality rate of around 40 per cent.
Ends
Story: “DRC Ebola update” – Tuesday 21 July 2026
Speaker:
- Dr Thierno Baldé, WHO Incident Manager for the Ebola response in DRC (from Bunia, DRC)
TRT: 02’04”
SOURCE: UNTV CH
RESTRICTIONS: NONE
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH / NATS
ASPECT RATIO: 16:9
DATELINE: 21 July 2026 - GENEVA, SWITZERLAND
Geneva Press briefing
SHOTLIST
- Exterior medium shot: UN flag alley.
- Wide shot of the podium with speakers at the press conference room.
- SOUNDBITE (English) Dr Thierno Balde, WHO Incident Manager for the Ebola response in DRC (from Bunia, DRC): “As of 19 July, the Government of the DRC has recorded 2,423 confirmed cases, including 967 deaths and 469 recoveries. The outbreak has been reported in five provinces, but the province of Ituri remains the epicentre of the outbreak, accounting for more than 90 per cent of cases and also 80 per cent of deaths.”
- Wide lateral shot of the press conference room.
- SOUNDBITE (English) Dr Thierno Balde, WHO Incident Manager for the Ebola response in DRC (from Bunia, DRC): "Let's be very clear, this outbreak remains ahead of us and we are still in the phase of catching up. We have prioritized the expansion of safe and dignified burials, referral system, clinical case management capacity in the most active transmission areas.”
- Lateral shot of the podium at the press conference room.
- SOUNDBITE (English) Dr Thierno Balde, WHO Incident Manager for the Ebola response in DRC (from Bunia, DRC): "No secondary cases have been detected there so far in Kisangani. Currently, all five cases are imported from Ituri province. We intend to roll out a similar rapid response plan in the hotwell in Katwa, Butembo and other emerging areas.”
- Medium shot: journalists at the press conference room.
- SOUNDBITE (English) Dr Thierno Balde, WHO Incident Manager for the Ebola response in DRC (from Bunia, DRC): “We'll also be working on a new project which aims to reinforce control measures through the River Congo, a crucial transit route requiring our attention for rapid implementation of control measures.”
- Cutaway journalists in the press conference room.
- SOUNDBITE (English) Dr Thierno Balde, WHO Incident Manager for the Ebola response in DRC (from Bunia, DRC): "The main strategy is really to implement a very strong, very effective and very timely, you know, response public health measures to contain those areas by identifying, by doing in-depth investigation of those cases, listing all of the contacts, helping them to follow those contacts. At the moment, we can, we are really trying to mobilize the communities, all of these contacts, or encouraging them to accept to be really followed up."
- Medium shot of cameraperson at the press conference room and control room.
- SOUNDBITE (English) Dr Thierno Balde, WHO Incident Manager for the Ebola response in DRC (from Bunia, DRC): “Despite these challenges, there are some encouraging signs. As I was saying, Mongbwalu, where the outbreak was first detected, is currently showing some signs of stabilization with a similar trend in Goma, in the North Kivu province.”
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