The chief of the World Health Organization made a visit to Bunia, located in eastern Congo, where a rare Ebola outbreak is taking place. Despite improved health facilities and fresh aid deliveries, the virus is spreading faster than containment efforts. WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus is scheduled to tour a treatment center and engage with local authorities, healthcare workers, and affected families in Bunia.

As of Friday, the WHO confirmed 906 suspected cases and 223 suspected deaths in the area. The neighboring country, Uganda, reported nine cases and one death related to the outbreak. The current strain of Ebola, known as the Bundibugyo virus, does not have an approved treatment or vaccine.

Efforts to respond to the outbreak in Bunia have seen better coordination at Rwampara and General hospitals, with additional staff, protective gear, and medical supplies in place. However, Doctors Without Borders warned that the response has not kept up with the rapid spread of the outbreak, emphasizing the urgent need for expanded testing, swift deployment of aid workers, and continuous access to medical resources.

Challenges faced by health workers include local residents’ frustration over strict medical protocols for handling victims’ bodies, conflicting with traditional burial customs. Moreover, attacks on health centers by residents and disruptions by rebel groups have hindered relief efforts. The illness has also been reported in other Congolese provinces, further complicating containment efforts.

In response to the outbreak, neighboring countries like Uganda and Rwanda have closed their borders, while the US has restricted entry for non-US passport holders who have recently been in affected regions. Tedros criticized border closures and travel bans, stating that they are ineffective in stopping the outbreak and urging nations to reconsider such measures for better transparency and collaboration in managing the situation.