Majority of new Ebola cases in eastern Congo are from unknown chains, as outbreak outpaces response

Health Majority of new Ebola cases are ‘from unknown chains of transmission,’ WHO official says The outbreak in eastern Congo ‘continues to outpace the response efforts’ Manage alerts for this article Email this article Share this article By Associated PressJuly 14, 2026 The Ebola outbreak in eastern Congo “continues to outpace the response efforts,” the World Health Organization’s emergencies chief said on Tuesday after returning from a trip to Bunia, in Ituri province, which is one of the worst hit areas. “Perhaps the most alarming finding is that many of the newly reported deaths are people who died in their communities without ever reaching a health facility and without receiving care,” Chikwe Ihekweazu said. “And as of today, 80% of new cases are outside our contact lists and so are coming to us from unknown chains of transmission.”Advertisement Congo has been battling the outbreak of a rare type of Ebola since May with no approved treatment or vaccine. The Africa Centre for Disease Control said last week that it is the fastest-growing Ebola outbreak on the continent. As of Monday, at least 1,926 people have been infected and 702 died in three provinces in Congo from the rare Bundibugyo virus, Congolese authorities said. Cases have also been confirmed in neighboring Uganda. Last week, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said a U.S. citizen working for a humanitarian organization in Congo has tested positive for the Ebola virus, without providing further details.Advertisement Ihekweazu told reporters in Geneva that his visit to Bunia had been “quite encouraging on many fronts, but also deeply concerning on many fronts.” Treatment capacity in Bunia is now close to 800 beds, which is increasing every week, and lab capacity has increased from one to 14 labs, while there have been improvements on other fronts too. Ihekweazu said that despite “our best efforts … we have not caught up in the race.” The response has been hampered by a funding gap, attacks on health centers, and an ongoing conflict in eastern Congo, as well as mistrust among local communities. On Monday, dozens of people working at an Ebola virus treatment center in northeast Congo went on strike over unpaid salaries and bonuses. The Congolese authorities declared a fresh Ebola outbreak on May 15 after the disease had been transmitting for weeks without official detection, according to the WHO. Clinical trials for treatment began last week after researchers launched a highly anticipated study in the hope of fighting the virus. — Geir Moulson and Monika Pronczuk global health, infectious disease, public health Submit a correction requestReprints Associated Press Newsletter Understand how science, health policy, and medicine shape the world every day Recommended The Readout July 14, 2026 STAT Plus: Akero team, backed by Fairmount, launches new immunology company Morning Rounds July 14, 2026 The risk of refusing a newborn’s vitamin K shot Advertisement Pharmalot July 14, 2026 STAT Plus: Pharmalittle: We’re reading about a battle between Lilly and Teva, psychedelic drugs, and more Breaking News July 14, 2026 STAT Plus: Biogen Alzheimer’s drug slowed decline at rates on par with approved therapies, study shows Health July 14, 2026 FDA authorized Zyn nicotine pouches without knowing what they were made of, says former agency scientist Subscriber Picks