The World Health Organization has raised alarm over the rapidly escalating Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo, stating that the virus is spreading faster than response efforts can contain it. WHO Director General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus made the declaration during a visit to the affected region, where health workers have gone on strike over unpaid wages, further straining containment operations. The outbreak, already one of the largest in history, has seen over 2,000 cases and nearly 1,400 deaths since August 2018.
WHO Director General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus issued a stark warning during a visit to the Democratic Republic of Congo this week, stating that the Ebola outbreak is outpacing the international response. The virus has now infected more than 2,000 people and claimed nearly 1,400 lives since the outbreak began in August 2018, making it the second deadliest Ebola epidemic on record.
The situation has been exacerbated by strikes among local health workers, who have not received promised hazard pay or salaries for months. Aid organizations report that the strikes have disrupted critical containment efforts, including vaccination campaigns and contact tracing, in high risk areas like Butembo and Katwa.
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