WHO warns Congo Ebola outbreak may become deadliest on record

The World Health Organization warned Wednesday that Congo's Ebola outbreak is on track to become the deadliest in history, potentially surpassing the 2014-2016 West African epidemic that killed over 11,000 people. WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said the current crisis is expanding at a record pace. The outbreak in eastern Congo has now claimed over 2,000 lives among more than 4,300 documented cases. The rare Bundibugyo virus driving this outbreak has no approved vaccines or treatments, and over two-thirds of deaths are occurring in communities rather than treatment centers. Officially declared on May 15, the outbreak actually began in February, leaving the virus "ahead of us," according to WHO officials. Response efforts have been hampered by conflict, misinformation, and cuts to international aid, including the dismantling of USAID in July 2025.