UN warns Ebola outbreak remains “deadly and massive”

The UN’s special Ebola coordinator, Julien Harneis, has warned that the outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo remains “deadly and massive,” Peoples Gazette reports.

According to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), Harneis, who traveled to Bunia and other affected areas on Wednesday, said that while progress had been made in some places, cases continue to rise elsewhere, further stressing the urgency of greater international solidarity through funding and specialised medical teams.

OCHA noted the outbreak has spread across seven provinces, with over 7,200 confirmed cases and 3,500 deaths recorded as of Sunday.

Still, OCHA pointed to encouraging signs, including six health zones with no new cases in over 42 days and 2,000 frontline workers vaccinated in Tshopo and Bas-Uélé.

The agency vowed to keep strengthening surveillance and community engagement, reaffirming that sustained global support remains critical to finally bringing the outbreak under control.