WHO Warns Ebola Outbreak May Be Spreading Faster Across Borders

The World Health Organisation (WHO) has raised fresh concerns over the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo, warning that the virus may already be spreading beyond the country’s borders and into more provinces than initially reported.

Anne Ancia, WHO representative, said ongoing investigations are revealing wider transmission of the disease.

“The more we are investigating this outbreak, the more we realise that it has already disseminated at least a little bit across border and also in other provinces,” she said.

Ancia described Ituri province, the centre of the outbreak, as a highly insecure region with constant population movement, making efforts to trace infections and contain the virus increasingly difficult.

She also confirmed that the outbreak has spread to South Kivu province, an area already struggling with a prolonged humanitarian crisis.

The outbreak has killed at least 131 people so far, while officials say more than 513 Ebola cases are currently suspected in Congo. Concerns intensified after reports confirmed cross-border transmission into neighbouring Uganda, where one death has already been recorded.

In response to the growing threat, the WHO recently declared the outbreak a public health emergency of international concern, citing fears over the escalating spread of the virus across borders.

WHO Director-General Tedros Ghebreyesus expressed concern over the worsening situation.

“I am deeply concerned about the scale and speed of the epidemic,” he said.»

Meanwhile, a new modelling study released by the London-based MRC Centre for Global Infectious Disease Analysis suggested the real number of infections could be far higher than official figures indicate.

Researchers warned that there had been “substantial” under-detection of cases and estimated that infections may have already exceeded 1,000.

Although there is currently no vaccine specifically approved for the Ebola strain driving the latest outbreak, the WHO says it is evaluating whether existing treatments and drugs could provide some level of protection.