The head of the World Health Organization met with Félix Tshisekedi on Monday to discuss the Democratic Republic of the Congo's Ebola outbreak, as an aid agency warned the epidemic was likely far larger than official figures suggest. The government said confirmed Ebola cases had risen to 321.
Issued on: 02/06/2026 - 11:19
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WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus arrived in Congo last week and called for greater international support to halt the spread of the disease. He first travelled from the capital, Kinshasa, to Ituri Province, where the first cases were confirmed. The outbreak is already the third largest on record and is believed to have persisted undetected for several weeks, according to health officials. They say they are now behind the curve and struggling to bring it under control. Tedros said he had seen some encouraging signs – including five certified recoveries – but also highlighted the need to increase testing and treatment capacity and strengthen trust in healthcare workers. After flying back to Kinshasa, Tedros met President Felix Tshisekedi at his residence. "This Ebola outbreak can be stopped when communities take ownership of the response and with strong government leadership," he said after the meeting. "We need to strengthen the capacity of health systems in the affected areas." DRC faces 'catastrophic collision' of conflict and Ebola outbreak, WHO warns.
