WHO chief warns of worsening Ebola outbreak in DRC and Uganda after on-site visit

The World Health Organization's director‑general said he is "really worried" after returning from a second trip to the Ebola‑affected regions of the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Uganda. He described a landscape marked by armed conflict, food insecurity and competing health threats, which he said makes Ebola seem like a "lesser evil" to many residents.

The outbreak, declared a public health emergency of international concern in mid‑May, is now the third largest on record, with at least 708 confirmed cases and 141 deaths across the two countries.

WHO staff on the ground face death threats, and contact‑tracing efforts are far below what is needed to contain the virus – only about 28.4% of known contacts had been followed up as of June 11. Local communities often doubt the existence of Ebola or do not view it as a priority, further hampering response efforts.