Key facts
- The World Health Organization believes the Congo Ebola outbreak can be controlled within three months.
- The outbreak is the second deadliest on record.
- The outbreak has spread to a sixth province in Congo.
- Containment efforts are being ramped up.
- Resources for containment efforts are lagging.
The World Health Organization (WHO) has expressed confidence that the ongoing Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo can be brought under control within the next three months. This assessment comes even as the outbreak has become the second deadliest on record and has now spread to a sixth province within the country. Containment efforts are being significantly ramped up by the WHO and local health authorities. However, a persistent challenge remains the lagging availability of necessary resources to effectively combat the epidemic. The organization is actively working to increase the deployment of these resources to bolster containment strategies and bring the outbreak to an end. The current situation in Congo presents a critical juncture where intensified international and local efforts are deemed essential for successful control.