A medical worker disinfects an area before the burial of a person who died from Ebola in Bunia, Ituri Province, Democratic Republic of the Congo. Photo credit: Xinhua

The World Health Organization (WHO) has warned that the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) is accelerating rapidly, with most new infections now emerging from unknown chains of transmission, raising concerns about the virus's continued spread. Speaking after returning from the outbreak's epicentre in Ituri Province, WHO Health Emergencies Programme Executive Director Chikwe Ihekweazu said that as of 11 July, nearly 2,000 confirmed cases and more than 700 deaths had been reported across five provinces.

According to WHO, the outbreak is now the third-largest Ebola outbreak on record. "We've seen the fastest growth in a single month since the outbreak started and of all the Ebola outbreaks that we have managed," Ihekweazu said.  He added that daily infections had reached record levels in recent days, with more than 80 confirmed cases reported within 24 hours. WHO said one of the most concerning developments is that many recent deaths occurred within communities, indicating that infected people died before reaching healthcare facilities or receiving treatment.

Despite improvements in laboratory testing and contact tracing, Ihekweazu said the outbreak remains difficult to contain because most new infections cannot be linked to known cases. "Eighty percent of new cases are outside our contact lists and so are coming to us from unknown chains of transmission," he said. WHO modelling suggests the actual number of infections could be between two and four times higher than officially reported.

Although the outbreak was declared only two months ago, the virus has spread beyond Ituri Province into Haut-Uele and Tshopo. However, WHO said up to 95% of newly confirmed infections are still concentrated in Ituri. To contain the outbreak, the agency said it is pursuing a dual strategy of strengthening response efforts in the epicentre while identifying travel routes and high-risk areas where new infections could emerge. Ihekweazu urged the international community to maintain support for the response. "Now is not the time to drop the ball," he said.

Several experimental treatments for the Bundibugyo strain of Ebola are currently undergoing clinical trials. While no approved treatment exists for this strain, WHO said early supportive medical care significantly improves survival. "We must find the cases earlier, bring them into care as soon as possible," Ihekweazu said.