WHO Urges Congo Ceasefire as Ebola Outbreak Worsens
Last update: May 27, 2026
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Fighting in eastern Congo is not just displacing families, it is fuelling a deadly Ebola outbreak with no approved vaccine.
The World Health Organization is calling for an immediate ceasefire in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, warning that ongoing clashes are making it almost impossible to contain a fast spreading Ebola outbreak, cbinews.tv reports.
WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said on Wednesday that the fighting is forcing mass displacement, pushing people into overcrowded camps where the virus can spread more easily.
The outbreak involves the Bundibugyo strain of Ebola. There is currently no approved vaccine or treatment for it. The WHO declared it an emergency of international concern earlier this month, and case numbers are climbing sharply.
So far, more than 900 suspected cases and over 200 suspected deaths have been reported across three provinces in eastern Congo. That includes North Kivu province, which is held by Rwanda backed M23 rebels, and South Kivu province, controlled by the Alliance Fleuve Congo rebel group.
Children are being hit hard. Aid group Save the Children disclosed on Wednesday that a quarter of the confirmed deaths were children. They are calling for urgent scale up of infection prevention measures.
Despite mediation efforts led by the United States and others, fighting has not stopped. Millions remain displaced. The UN refugee agency says transit and reception sites in Uganda’s West Nile region, which borders Congo, are now at more than double their capacity.
Aid groups are scrambling to get staff and supplies into eastern Congo, but it is dangerous work. Attacks on medics, driven by community distrust, are hampering the response.
Money is another problem. Donors have pledged around 500 million dollars to tackle the outbreak, but health officials say not all of it has been disbursed.
The shortages on the ground are stark. A doctor in Butembo, North Kivu, told reporters there have been six deaths out of seven Ebola cases in the area, and they have only two body bags left.
He also reported critical shortages of soap, chlorine and personal protective gear including boots, body suits, masks and gloves. He said cuts to foreign aid for international and local NGOs are partly to blame.
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