'We're still behind' in Congo's Ebola outbreak even as testing improves, WHO chief says

By — Ope Adetayo, Associated Press Ope Adetayo, Associated Press Leave your feedback Share Copy URL https://www.pbs.org/newshour/world/were-still-behind-in-congos-ebola-outbreak-even-as-testing-improves-who-chief-says Email Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Pinterest Tumblr Share on Facebook Share on Twitter 'We're still behind' in Congo's Ebola outbreak even as testing improves, WHO chief says World Jun 3, 2026 5:23 PM EDT LAGOS, Nigeria (AP) — Congo's Ebola outbreak "had a big head start, and we're still behind," the head of the World Health Organization said Wednesday, adding that the medical community was "catching up" even as militant attacks plague the stricken region. Congo's military said an attack late on Tuesday by an Islamic State affiliate — a group known as the Allied Democratic Forces — killed 16 people in the Beni territory in North Kivu province. Grow your mind Subscribe to our Science Newsletter to explore the wide worlds of science, health and technology. The militants struck in response for a joint operation of Congolese and Ugandan armies, which have been battling the group that operates in the border regions of the two countries. Last month, the group attacked Congolese villages near the Ugandan border, killing at least 40 people and burning and looting homes. The violence has hampered efforts to combat the outbreak of the rare Bundibugyo type of Ebola, which was announced in mid-May in eastern Congo's provinces of Ituri, North Kivu, and South Kivu. WATCH: Kenyan court blocks U.S. plan to open Ebola quarantine center to treat Americans Since then, Congolese authorities have confirmed 60 deaths in the outbreak out of 344 cases. The number of suspected cases has gone down from 906 to 116. Neighboring Uganda has 15 confirmed cases, including one death, its health ministry said Tuesday. WHO chief offers some hope for the outbreak The agency's Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said Wednesday that testing is improving in the struggle against Ebola, with scaled-up laboratory and diagnostic capacity though contact tracing in Congo "is not yet where it needs to be." "The outbreak had a big head start, and we're still behind," he said. But "we are catching up." Tedros spoke a day after returning to Geneva from Congo, where he visited the epicenter of the outbreak. "What I saw gave me hope, although challenges remain." READ MORE: WHO chief visits Congo Ebola epicenter as cases outpace response He also said that blanket travel restrictions imposed by some countries "are disrupting supply chains and hindering the response," and asked for them to be lifted. He stressed that WHO recommends exit screening at airports, ports and border crossings. He avoided a reporter's question about a U.S. quarantine center in Kenya where American Ebola patients would be quarantined, which has drawn protests. "I think based on their risk assessment … they (the United States) can do whatever they think is right for them," the WHO chief said. The outbreak s