WHO chief says Ebola outbreak in DR Congo remains 'public health emergency of international concern'

What the report says

The World Health Organization has said the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo remains a public health emergency of international concern, according to Anadolu Agency Africa. WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said updated recommendations for the DRC government and other countries considered at risk would be issued in the coming days.

The announcement underscores that international health officials still view the situation as serious and requiring continued coordination. The declaration is one of the WHO’s highest levels of alert for a disease event and is used to signal a need for sustained surveillance, response measures and cross-border preparedness.

The DRC has faced repeated Ebola outbreaks over the years, and public health authorities typically focus on case detection, contact tracing, infection control and community engagement to limit spread. While the supplied text does not give specific case counts or a location inside the country, the WHO’s decision suggests the outbreak remains a concern beyond the immediate health system in the affected area.

The agency’s forthcoming recommendations are expected to guide both Congolese authorities and neighboring or otherwise exposed countries on preventive steps. The update matters because Ebola can move quickly in fragile health settings and because international coordination is often critical to containing outbreaks before they widen.