An American doctor who tested positive for Ebola while working in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has been transferred to Germany for medical care.
Tedros Ghebreyesus, WHO director-general, shared this on
Tuesday while addressing delegates at the 79th World Health Assembly in Geneva,
Switzerland, where health ministers and diplomats are meeting to discuss global
health emergencies, pandemic preparedness and healthcare financing.
Ghebreyesus said the infected American national was
reportedly working with a medical missionary group in eastern Congo before
contracting the virus.
He said WHO is collaborating with authorities in the DRC,
Uganda and the United States to contain the outbreak, warning that the
situation remains worrying because of the risk of wider transmission.
“We’re working with the DRC, Uganda and the United States,”
he said.
“There are several factors that make us concerned about the
potential for further spread and further deaths.
“First, beyond the confirmed cases, there are more than 500
suspected cases and 130 suspected deaths.”
According to Ghebreyesus, health officials are intensifying
surveillance, contact tracing and laboratory testing as the number of suspected
infections continues to rise.
He said some of the cases had been detected in major urban
centres, including Kampala in Uganda and Goma in eastern Congo, increasing
fears of cross-border spread.
He added that several health workers had also died,
suggesting transmission within healthcare facilities.
“There is significant population movement in the area,” he
said.
“The province of Ituri is highly insecure, as you may know.
Conflict has intensified since late 2025, and fighting has escalated
significantly over the past two months, resulting in civilian deaths.
“Over 100, 000 people have been newly displaced, and in
Ebola outbreaks, you know what displacement means.”
The WHO director-general explained that the outbreak was
caused by the Bundibugyo strain of Ebola virus, for which there are currently
no approved vaccines or treatments.
Despite the absence of vaccines, he said authorities could
still curb the outbreak through measures such as risk communication, community
engagement, surveillance and rapid response.
He commended the Ugandan government for postponing the
annual Martyrs’ Day celebrations, an event that could attract nearly two
million people, due to concerns over the spread of the disease.
“WHO has a team on the ground supporting national
authorities to respond. We have deployed people, supplies, equipment and
funds,” he said.
“I have approved an additional 3.4 million dollars from the
Contingency Fund for Emergencies, bringing the total to 3.9 million dollars.”
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