Five people infected with a rare strain of Ebola have recovered in eastern Congo, the head of the World Health Organization said Sunday, offering a sign of progress as health officials race to contain an outbreak that has spread across parts of Congo and into neighboring Uganda.
WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus announced the recoveries during the opening of a new Ebola treatment center in Bunia, the capital of Ituri province and epicenter of the outbreak.
“Four people will be discharged today, and there was one that was discharged the day before yesterday,” Tedros said, emphasizing that recovery is possible even though there is no approved vaccine or treatment for the Bundibugyo strain of the virus behind the outbreak.
An additional patient’s recovery was announced on Friday, the first documented recovery from the Bundibugyo strain.
The recoveries come as health authorities continue to grapple with a rapidly expanding outbreak that was confirmed in mid-May and later declared a public health emergency of international concern by the WHO.
According to the WHO, Congo has reported 906 suspected cases and 223 suspected deaths linked to the outbreak. The agency has also recorded more than 130 confirmed cases and at least 18 deaths among confirmed infections in Congo and Uganda.
Uganda has reported nine confirmed cases and one death, including several infections linked to cross-border transmission from Congo.
Health officials say the outbreak likely circulated undetected for weeks before it was identified, complicating efforts to trace contacts and isolate infected individuals. The virus is spreading in a region already challenged by armed conflict, population displacement, and weak health infrastructure.
Aid groups have warned that infections are continuing to outpace response efforts despite the arrival of additional international assistance. Doctors Without Borders has called for expanded testing, faster deployment of medical personnel, and improved access for humanitarian supplies.
Health workers have also faced resistance from some communities, where Ebola burial protocols have clashed with local customs and led to attacks on treatment facilities.
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Tedros said community involvement will be critical to ending the outbreak, urging residents to seek medical care as soon as symptoms appear.
“We can stop this Ebola, and anyone who has it can also recover,” he said. “But the rule … is this thing is everybody’s business and every citizen should be involved.”