WHO warns Congo Ebola outbreak may exceed 2014‑2016 West Africa death toll

WHO Director‑General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus warned on Wednesday that the current outbreak is accelerating at a rate that could surpass the West African Ebola epidemic of 2014‑2016, which claimed more than 28,000 lives. Speaking to reporters, Tedros highlighted that the speed of transmission and the expanding geographic footprint of the disease are raising alarms among health officials worldwide.

The World Health Organization said it is intensifying surveillance, accelerating vaccine deployment and coordinating with national governments to bolster containment efforts. Officials emphasized the need for rapid case identification, robust contact tracing and community engagement to curb the spread before the outbreak exceeds the historic toll of the previous Ebola crisis.