The World Health Organization has warned that the current Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo began circulating for at least three months before it was officially declared, leaving health authorities struggling to catch up with its spread. WHO Africa director Dr Mohamed Janabi said the virus, of the Bundibugyo species, was initially misdiagnosed as malaria or typhoid after starting in February, and that insecurity in the eastern region has hampered the response, with no approved vaccine or recognised therapeutic drugs available to help contain it.

More than 1,900 people have died since the outbreak was declared on 15 May, making it the second-worst Ebola outbreak on record, behind the 2014-2016 West Africa epidemic which killed 11,325 people. DR Congo's health ministry has recorded 4,294 confirmed cases and 1,960 deaths so far, with Janabi noting that health workers are reaching only around 30% of cases, meaning most patients are dying at home. Traditional burial practices involving contact with the deceased, along with community distrust of health authorities, have further complicated containment efforts, though new dedicated treatment centres have improved diagnosis speed.