WHO Chief Warns Ebola 'Outpacing' Response as DRC Orders Emergency Response Overhaul

WHO Director-General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Africa CDC Director-General Dr Jean Kaseya, and WHO Africa Regional Director Dr Mohamed Janabi led a joint high-level mission to Kampala, Bunia and Kinshasa on 4-5 August 2026. Tedros said 'In some areas of eastern DRC, the Ebola outbreak is outpacing our response, making it imperative that we rapidly scale up every aspect of our efforts to contain it,' while Africa CDC identified that 60-70% of new cases were occurring outside monitored contact lists, with contact follow-up at only 75% against a 95% target. As of 4 August, DRC had recorded 3,973 confirmed cases and 1,801 deaths across 51 health zones in five provinces, with 99 new cases and 52 deaths in the prior 24 hours. Following the mission, President Félix-Antoine Tshisekedi ordered an eight-point 'One Response' emergency plan covering a village-centered response, free healthcare with stabilized worker pay, a real-time digital surveillance platform, September school reopening protocols, accelerated vaccine/therapeutic evaluation, an integrated health-humanitarian plan, cross-border cooperation, and unified transparent funding tracking. Separately, the 100-bed Rwakole Ebola Treatment Centre — DRC's largest, with over 300 staff and specialized units for pregnant patients — was inaugurated in Bunia on 4 August.